Go running on the bike to avoid brittle bones, men said

MScientists said, after a study, that bone fragility disorders are more common than previously thought.

Scientists measured bone density in men and women aged 35 to 50 and found that 28% of men had early signs of osteoporosis, compared to 26% of women.

The results are surprising because the debilitating disease, which affects about three million people in the UK, is more commonly associated with women than men.

Researchers at the University of Mississippi said many men in the study had been enthusiastic cyclists, but this form of weightless exercise did nothing to improve bone density.

The 173 participants were scanned at the femoral hip and lumbar spine, while being exposed to a light dose of radiation to establish bone mineral density (BMD). BMD peaks at age 30, which means that young adults who do not form strong bones pose an increased risk of osteoporosis later in life, said the research team.

"We generally associate bone mineral density loss with postmenopausal women, but our results have shown a high risk in younger men," said Dr. Martha Bass, who led the research.