STAFF at York Hospital have joined the battle against the brittle bone disease osteoporosis by promoting key messages on the disease.

June is National Osteoporosis Month, and over the next couple of weeks there will be health promotion boards in the ground floor entrance to outpatients at the hospital with information for staff, patients and visitors.

The campaign coincides with a promotion by Action Research to let men know about osteoporosis too.

One in three women and one in 12 men in the UK will have osteoporosis over the age of 50. It is more prominent in women because of the drop on oestrogen levels after the menopause.

It can lead to spinal deformities, frequent fractures, pain and in extreme cases, death.

Osteoporosis occurs when holes in the bone's inner mesh - a mixture of the protein collagen, calcium salts and other minerals which resembles a honeycomb - become bigger, making the bone fragile and more liable to break.

Preventative measures include a calcium-rich and balanced diet and regular weight-bearing exercise, such as running, skipping, tennis and walking.

Katie Holgate, outpatients sister at York Hospital, said: "We want to make people aware of the symptoms of the disease and tell them that there are changes they can make to their lifestyles to help strengthen and maintain healthy bones."

Dr Isobel Braidman, who is leading an Action Research project into the cause of osteoporosis in men, said: "There is still a lot of research to be done, but our work to date will help us to focus on developing new therapies."

For further information about the disease visit www.nos.org.uk.

Updated: 09:27 Thursday, June 19, 2003