PUPILS in the Darlington area could be taught the importance of keeping their bones healthy.
Darlington Primary Care Trust is hoping to encourage youngsters to eat healthily and take exercise to lessen the risk of osteoporosis in later life.
The brittle-bone disease mainly affects people over 50.
Trust specialist nurse Sue Jackson believes children should get into the habit of looking after themselves from a young age, because they have until their late-20s to achieve peak bone mass.
Health officials fear that if, through lack of exercise and poor diet, youngsters don't reach their maximum bone strengths they will suffer when they get older.
Mrs Jackson said: "We are trying to identify people earlier because there are treatments.
"But there are no outward signs. You don't know you have it until you break a bone."
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