The study found that of over 4,000 15-year-olds who took part, those with higher levels of fat tended to have larger and thicker bones.
The correlation was particularly marked in girls, suggesting fat plays a key role in female bone development.
Lead researcher Jon Tobias said: "There is a good deal of pressure on teenage girls to be thin, but they need to be aware that this could endanger their developing skeleton and put them at
increased risk of osteoporosis.
"If you go out to lose weight by dieting alone, that might have a potential adverse affect on bones. What you want to do is adopt a healthier lifestyle - not just eat less but actually do more exercise.
"Fairly gentle walking might not do very much: more dynamic sports are needed to stimulate bones and reduce the effect of losing fat mass," he said.
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