Osteoporosis causes your bones to get very weak. They may break easily, too. The disease happens most often in older women.

Older men can also get it. Here’s what you can do to help prevent it:

• Do not smoke cigarettes.
• Exercise. The best type for your bones makes you work against gravity. This is called weightbearing exercise. You can lift weights, walk, jog, dance, or hike. Try to aim for 30 minutes on most days. Start with small amounts and build up.
• Eat foods with calcium. Examples are skim milk, low-fat yogurt and cheese, and orange juice with added calcium. Try collard greens, tofu, or dried figs. Sardines and canned salmon with bones also have calcium.
• Take a daily multivitamin with calcium and vitamin D. The pharmacist can help you choose one.
• Ask your doctor whether you need a bone-density test.