Grandpa’s broken hip may mean weaker bones for his grandsons

A recent study at the Sahlgrenska Academy shows that hip fractures in grandfathers are linked to low bone density and reduced bone size in their grandsons.

The study looked at around 3,700 grandparents and their grandsons from a national register. It concluded that the men who had a male relative who had suffered a fracture had up to 5% less bone density and 4% smaller bones than those who did not. By way of comparison, 10% less bone density can increase the risk of fractures as much as threefold.

According to researchers, this finding could lead to improvements in the identification of patients at increased risk of osteoporosis.

Study conclusions are published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism