The relationship of bone mineral density (BMD) and bone mineral content (BMC) of femur bone with the tissue and blood calcium contents was studied with 98 Wistar rats (15-week old). The results indicated that the body length, body weight, bone width, BMC, BMC/weight, BMD/weight and BMD/length in male were markedly different from those in female animals. The BMD of alive rats was significantly correlated with the total calcium intake, length, weight and calcium retention rate (P < 0.05). BMC was significantly related to sex, length, weight, liver calcium content and total calcium intake. Multiple regression analysis indicated that the animal body length, weight, total calcium intake and calcium content in heart were positively correlated with the BMD of alive animals. The animal body length and plasma calcium content were positively correlated with BMD of separated bones after the animals were sacrificed. The present results indicated that the BMC and BMD of alive rats could reflect the calcium status and bone mineral accumulation in the body because of the significant correlation with the growth rate, calcium retention rate, muscle and plasma calcium contents, but not with the separated bone BMD or BMC.