The disease affects one in 12 men over the age of 50 in the UK, but is often mistaken as an old ladies disease that does not affect men and young people, says the society.

It points out that while osteoporosis most commonly affects one in three post-menopausal women, it is also a disease that needs to be taken seriously by men.

The charity is warning that too many men are unaware of the fact that they could be affected by the disease, which causes bones to become so fragile that they can break with just a minor bump or fall.

While low levels of the male hormone testosterone, a family history of osteoporosis and long-term use of corticosteroids (often prescribed for the treatment of conditions such as asthma and arthritis) are known to increase a man’s risk of developing osteoporosis, many men will develop osteoporosis without ever knowing why.

The NOS is concerned that because of the ageing population and changes in lifestyle many more men will be affected by the painful and debilitating disease.

NOS patron, actor Ross Kemp says: "With one in 12 men developing osteoporosis, that’s almost one man in every football team, so it’s really important that we all think about what we can do to prevent it happening to us.

"Regular activity is essential to bone health so get out there and play football, go for a jog or head down to the gym and lift some weights, all of these things will help your bones stay strong.

"World Osteoporosis Day today is the ideal time to start making the changes to our lifestyles to give us all a better chance of escaping broken bones in the future. Don’t wait until it’s too late."

Osteoporosis is treatable and largely preventable. Following a well balanced, calcium-rich eating plan, getting regular weight-bearing exercise, not drinking too much alcohol and giving up smoking will all reduce your chances of developing osteoporosis in later life.

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