Even if you feel as strong as an ox, your bones may tell a different story. Find out what you can do to prevent osteoporosis

Osteoporosis develops when your bones lose mass and density, causing them to become porous, weak and brittle. As the bones weaken, they become more susceptible to fractures that can cause serious health consequences.

Thinning of the bones is a natural part of the ageing process. Your skeletal mass peaks sometime during your thirties and after that, your bones begin to lose mass gradually, increasing the risk of osteoporosis and related fractures. The older a person is, the greater the risk of developing osteoporosis.

One in two women and one in four men over the age of 50 will suffer an osteoporosis-related fracture during their lifetime, according to the National Osteoporosis Foundation. Although osteoporosis tends to affect older people - especially women after menopause - you can lower the risk of this disease significantly by taking certain steps when you are younger.

Investing in these lifestyle changes while you are young can offer a handsome health pay-off many years down the road.

1. Perform weight-bearing exercise
The risk of osteoporosis for both men and women depends largely on the amount of bone mass attained between the ages of 25 and 35. Developing a peak store of bone mass will help protect you when your bones inevitably begin to thin. Weight-bearing exercise is one of the best ways to increase bone mass because bone responds to exercise by becoming denser.

Although it is important to build as much bone mass as possible when you are younger, exercise at all ages helps the bones. Examples of weight-bearing activities include lifting weights, walking or running, tennis, and dancing.

2. Get an adequate intake of calcium and vitamin D
Eating foods high in calcium (milk, cheese, fish, liver) helps strengthen bones. Obtaining adequate levels of calcium is particularly important while the skeleton is growing (in childhood and adolescence) and during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Consuming sufficient levels of vitamin D is also key when keeping bones healthy because this mineral is essential for helping the body to absorb calcium. Dairy products are the primary source of vitamin D, but the body can also get vitamin D from other foods and sunlight.

3. Do not smoke
Need another good reason to give up cigarettes? Smoking increases bone loss, although scientists aren't exactly sure why. Many experts believe this occurs because smoking decreases a woman's production of estrogen and reduces the absorption of calcium in the intestine. It is not known whether or not exposure to second hand smoke can affect a person's bone mass.

4. Do not drink alcohol excessively
If you have more than two drinks a day, you may decrease bone formation in your body and reduce your body's ability to absorb calcium. In fact, alcoholism is one of the greatest risk factors for osteoporosis in men.

5. Consider limiting your intake of caffeine and salt
There is some evidence that consuming reduced amounts of these substances can lower the risk of osteoporosis. While the evidence for such claims is not conclusive, cutting back on salt, coffee, tea, cola and other fizzy drinks is known to have several other health benefits. So, consider it a bonus if such moderation also helps your bones.

6. Talk to your doctor if you use certain medication
Use of corticosteroids such as prednisone or cortisone may place you at increased risk of osteoporosis. Other medication associated with thinning of the bones include diuretics, thyroid hormone drugs, anticoagulant medication, anti-seizure medicine, antacids, and some cancer drugs. If you take any of these drugs, ask your doctor if you might benefit from taking certain other medication or supplements to help prevent osteoporosis.

7. Ask about hormone replacement therapy
If you have reached the menopause, ask your doctor whether or not you should consider treatment with hormone medication. Women who participate in hormone therapy reduce their risk of osteoporosis. Unfortunately, hormone treatment sometimes causes significant side effects and may increase the risk of illnesses such as breast cancer, heart attack, stroke and blood clots.

Men may also benefit from hormone therapy, but only if they have osteoporosis caused by low testosterone levels. Consult your doctor about the pros and cons of hormone therapy.

8. Take good care of your health
Preventable conditions such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease and eating disorders are all associated with an increased risk of osteoporosis. Regular exercise and eating a balanced diet lowers your risk of developing these diseases and, subsequently, osteoporosis.