Lifecourse Determinants of Bone and Joint Disease

Osteoporosis and osteoarthritis—the two most common bone and joint disorders worldwide—are being traced back to their origins across the entire human lifespan. This matters because these conditions affect hundreds of millions of people, causing fractures, chronic pain, and loss of mobility in later life. Yet their causes are not fully understood. The MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit is using epidemiological methods to identify the environmental and occupational factors—from early life through old age—that drive these disorders, as well as related metabolic conditions such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. If this research succeeds, it could shift medicine from treating broken bones and worn-out joints after they occur to preventing them in the first place. The goal is to develop population-wide and high-risk prevention strategies—practical interventions that could reduce fracture rates, delay the onset of osteoarthritis, and keep people mobile and independent for longer. This is not about a new drug or surgical technique; it is about understanding the root causes so that prevention becomes possible. The work is fundamentally epidemiological, linking real-world exposures across decades to disease outcomes, and its impact would be measured in fewer hospital admissions and better quality of life in older age.