"Gene mutations linked with osteoporosis have been identified independently by teams in the UK and Iceland.
Earlier unsubstantiated reports have linked genes to the bone-weakening disease but the new studies are the first to conclusively identify the mutations.
Both teams found the mutations by screening for hundreds of thousands of random mutations - called single nucleotide polymorphisms or SNPs - in DNA samples from thousands of women, both with and without osteoporosis.
The two mutations reported by the British team are so common they might be worth screening for. "They're both present in more than one in five white people, suggesting a potential role in screening," says Tim Spector of King's College London, and principal investigator in the study. "In theory we could start screening right away."
Having both mutations raises the risk of osteoporosis by up to 50%, and of bone fractures by up to 30%.
Spector said that screening women over 60 could help identify those needing treatment to avoid fractures. Screening teenagers could identify girls who could avoid future disease through lifestyle changes, such as drinking more milk and exercising more."
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