How to build up your bones

How a number of simple exercises and activities can help you combat osteoporosis.

Go outdoors

The body needs daylight to manufacture vitamin D, a vital bone-forming nutrient.

Go skipping

Women who performed 50 star jumps or skips a day recorded a 3-4 per cent increase in bone density measurements in their hips. Alternatively, run up and down the stairs five or six times a day for similar improvements.

Not enough calcium

Adults need 800mg a day (equivalent to three slices of Cheddar cheese and two glasses of milk), teenagers need 1,000mg. Other good sources include bread, fortified cereals and orange juice, fish eaten with the bones, and low-fat dairy foods.

Get to the gym

Weight-training has been shown to increase bone density in women after the menopause, beut it's also helpful for women in their 20s and 30s. According to the National Osteoporosis Society (NOS), the weight lifted on each machine should be the most you can lift eight times without straining yourself. Try to include lifts for all major parts of the body.

Do you need a bone scan?

Ask your GP for a referral if you have suffered from an eating disorder, had a fracture after a minor fall, reached the menopause early, smoke heavily, are on a long-term course of corticosteroid drugs, or have a history of missed periods. All these can contribute to thin bones.

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