Vitamin D status and the serum osteocalcin concentration in patients with femoral neck fractures were studied as follows. Thirty-seven elderly patients (P) with fracture of the femoral neck were studied, whereas 24 age-matched persons (C) seen at the out-patient department for non-orthopaedic reasons served as controls. The dietary intake of vitamin D, estimated using a vitamin D score based on food items known to be the main sources of vitamin D, was significantly lower in the patients than in the controls. There was no difference in the serum 25-hydroxy-vitamin D (25-OH-D) (P: 22.3 +/- 7.5 nmol/l; C: 27.5 +/- 13.5) or the serum 1,25-dihydroxy-vitamin D3 concentration (P: 86 +/- 43 pmol/l; 31) C: 85 +/- 31) between the groups. The 25-OH-D concentration was, however, low as compared to reference values, suggesting vitamin D deficiency in both groups. There was no difference in the serum osteocalcin concentration between the groups (P: 3.1 +/- 1.7 micrograms/l; C: 3.4 +/- 1.5). One year later the serum osteocalcin concentrations (5.9 +/- 2.2 micrograms/l, n = 11) was significantly higher (P less than 0.005) in the patients than at the time of the fracture (3.2 +/- 2.2 micrograms/l), indicating an active bone turnover in the patients still present 1 year after the fracture.