Six million British women have a nearly 50:50 chance of suffering a broken bone as a result of osteoporosis, new research published in the Lancet reveals.
According to scientists, variations in two particular genes greatly increase a person's risk of the disease, which causes fragile bones and makes them more likely to suffer a fracture.
This means that certain people are even more at risk than the average woman, who has a one in three chance of breaking a bone as a result of osteoporosis.
The research suggests that as many as 6.18 million women in the UK could benefit from taking preventative action to protect the health of their bones.
High-risk women are advised to improve their diet and do regular weight-bearing exercise.
In addition, they may benefit from taking a dietary supplement of omega fatty acids, which can help to reduce inflammation and provide relief from joint aches.
Six million British women have a nearly 50:50 chance of suffering a broken bone as a result of osteoporosis, new research published in the Lancet reveals.
