Objective   To explore the effect of dietary calcium on the expression of uncoupling protein2(UCP2)in white adipose tissue and skeletal muscle of Wistar rat fed with high fat diet.

  Methods   Fifty-four male Wister rats were randomly divided into 6 groups: A group was fed with basic diet(0.5% calcium), B group was fed with high fat and low calcium diet (0.08% calcium), C group was fed with high fat and normal calcium diet(0.5% calcium), D and E group were fed with high fat, high calcium diet(1% and 1.5% calcium respectively), F group was fed with high fat, high calcium diet(1.5% calcium) supplemented with vitamin D(600IU%).After 9 weeks, serum triglycerides, cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein were measured and reverse transcription polymerase chaih reaction(RT-PCR)was used to measure the level of UCP mRNA.

  Results   The body weight and fat content in C group were significantly higher than those of other groups(P < 0.01)How ever, the body weight in D, E, F groups fed with high fat, high calcium diet decreased significantly compared with C group.The serum insulin in C group increased significantly compared with that of A, D, E, F groups(P < 0.05), but there was no significant difference in blood glucose among all groups.Compared with A group, the level of serum leptin increased significantly in C group(P < 0.05) and increased slightly in D, E, F groups(P > 0.05).Compared with C group the UCP2 mR NA expression in D, E, F groups increased significantly in skeletal muscle but there was no significant change in white adipose tissue and UCP2 mRNA expression in B group decreased significantly in white adipose tissue.

  Conclusion   Dietary high calcium can not only reduce body weight and fat content, but also improve hyperinsulinemia, increase serum leptin and enhance the expression of UCP2 mRNA in skeletal muscle which contributed to the prevention of obesity.