Racial differences in bone and mineral metabolism

Racial differences in bone mass and structure are apparent early in adolescence, even when accounting for differences in bone size and muscle mass by race. A higher percentage of African admixture is independently associated with higher bone mass and more favorable parameters of bone strength in children and adults. The relationships between 25-hydoxyvitamin D and bone outcomes differs by race, with lower 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels being associated with lower bone quality and higher fracture risk in whites but not blacks. Racial differences in bone mass and strength are apparent early in life, are independently associated with genetic ancestry, and may be partly explained by differences in the relationships between vitamin D and bone metabolism.