SOUTHAMPTON scientists have made a breakthrough in the diagnosis and treatment of brittle bone disease.

Researchers based at the city's university found that babies in the womb and in early infancy who receive poor nutrition are more prone to osteoporosis in later life.

The condition effects one in three women aged over 50 and is responsible for 200,000 bone breaks every year in the UK.

Scientists in Southampton discovered that some people have a defect in a gene that regulates the amount of growth hormone produced by the body for bone development.

But they found that even if people had the defective gene, the condition will only be triggered if there are problems like poor nutrition in early years.

The team from the Medical Research Council, led by professor Cyrus Cooper, believe it could have significant implications for diagnosing and treating osteoporosis.

He said: "This has altered our understanding of the complex relationship between genes and the early environment.

"We have known for a long time that genetic and environmental influences contribute to who we are and our health prospects. This is the first time research has shown the extent to which these early environmental factors impact on the function of genes which have a key role to play in the development of a healthy skeleton."

The findings came from researching birth and health records for a group of 300 men and women born in the 1920s and 30s. Prof Cooper said: "The challenge is to identify the optimum nutrition and lifestyle for mothers."