Review of studies · Supplements / medicine · 9 Sept 2026
In 124 trials, brisk walking and combined aerobic-resistance work slowed bone loss after 40
Source: The BMJ
What the research found
Study (hierarchical network meta-analysis of randomized trials). The BMJ (9 September 2026) pooled 124 trials and 18,429 adults aged 40 and older. Low to moderate certainty evidence showed that brisk walking or jogging, and combined aerobic plus resistance exercise, probably raise lumbar-spine bone mineral density versus control by about 0.013 g/cm2. In fracture analyses (26 trials, 11,132 people), mixed aerobic exercise (odds ratio 0.29) and mind-body exercise (0.58) may lower fracture risk, both low certainty; other modalities looked neutral. The bone-density signal clustered near 600 MET-minutes a week, about 2 to 3 hours of brisk walking or jogging. Educational exercise notes, not a training prescription.
Evidence level: Review of studies. This is among the stronger kinds of evidence, but one study rarely settles a question.
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