PARENTS could be able to find out how healthy their children’s bones are before they are born, according to a study led by the University of Southampton.

Researchers now have a better understating of how osteoporosis could be prevented in future generations.

Nicholas Harvey, professor of rheumatology and clinical epidemiology, said: “The health of a child’s bone when they are young can influence the risk of osteoporosis in older age. This study might allow us to more accurately predict an individual’s future risk of osteoporosis. ”

Professor Harvey said by observing whether certain genes in our DNA are switched on early, it might be possible to detect people who are more at risk of osteoporosis.

An ongoing study could also give experts the opportunity to work out whether interventions during pregnancy, for example vitamin D supplements, could help to improve children’s bones.

The study was led by researchers of the MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit and the Institute of Developmental Sciences at the university.

Unit director Professor Cyrus Cooper said: “This major finding links our previous observations on maternal nutrition and lifestyle during pregnancy, with the later risk of musculoskeletal ageing in the offspring.”

The study was also led by Dr Elizabeth Curtis, Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Fellow, and Dr Robert Murray, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, both from the university.