DO I NEED A BONE DENSITY SCAN?

While our risk of low bone density rises with age, it can occur in younger people, too. “This is often associated with other medical conditions that impact directly on bone health, for example eating disorders, severe vitamin D deficiency, undiagnosed coeliac disease and some breast cancer treatments,” Professor Ebeling says. “Any young people with these issues should also have a bone health check by their doctor.” Your GP may send you for a bone density scan, which is a simple procedure that takes about 10 to 15 minutes. You can also visit The Big O website (thebigo.com.au), which has an online tool to help determine if you’re at risk, as well as information about diagnosis and treatment.