Context: Although racial and ethnic differences in vitamin D status and bone mineral density (BMD) are recognized, less is known about how differences in vitamin D status impact BMD, especially among men.

Objective: To examine the relation between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] and BMD by race and ethnic group.

Design: Population-based, observational survey.

Participants: 1,114 Black, Hispanic and White men, 30 to 79 years of age.

Outcomes: 25(OH)D by a competitive protein binding assay and BMD by DXA.

Results: Mean age ± SD of the 331 Black, 362 Hispanic, and 421 White men was 48 ± 12.8 years. Mean 25(OH)D was lower among Black (25.0 ± 14.7 ng/mL) and Hispanic (32.9 ± 13.9 ng/mL) men compared to White men (37.4 ± 14.0 ng/mL, p< 0.01). A higher percentage of both Black (44%) and Hispanic (23%) men had levels of 25(OH)D in the lowest quartile, compared to 11% of White men (p<0.001). After adjusting for age, height and weight, only White men showed significant positive correlation between 25(OH)D and BMD (range of correlations: 0.00-0.14). Serum 25(OH)D was not associated with BMD in Black or Hispanic men at any bone site. Results were similar when adjusted for age only.

Conclusions: Our findings confirm substantial race and ethnic group differences in BMD and serum 25(OH)D in men. Serum 25(OH)D and BMD are significantly related to one another in White men only. This may have implications for evaluation of bone health and supplementation in men with low levels of 25(OH)D. Further understanding of the biologic mechanisms for these differences between race and ethnic groups is needed.