The present work was designed to determine whether change in fluidity of the mitochondrial membrane affects mitochondrial {TEX}$F_{1}${/TEX}{TEX}$F_{0}${/TEX}ATPase characteristics in NIDDM-prone BHE/Cdb rat. Isolated mitochondria fom BHE/Cdb rat fed a 6% coconut oil or corn oil were functionally tested by an analysis of its respiration and the coupling of this process to ATP synthesis in presence of oligomycin, a specific inhibitor of oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS), that binds to the {TEX}$F_{1}${/TEX}{TEX}$F_{0}${/TEX}ATPase. Mitochondria from rats fed coconut oil were more responsive to the inhibitory action of oligomycin with respect to state 3 respiration, respiratory control (RC) ratio and ADP:P (P/O) ratio than were mitochondria from rats fed corn oil. In state 3 respiration, mitochondria from rats fed coconut oil consumed less oxygen than did mitochondria from rats fed corn oil. RC ratio was lower in the mitochondria from rats fed coconut oil than was mitochondria from rats fed corn oil. In P/O ratio, the mitochondria from rats fed coconut oil had a lower P/O ratio than did mitochondria from rats fed corn oil. The data showed that the chang influidity of the mitochondrial membrane by dietary fat affected mitochondrial {TEX}$F_{1}${/TEX}{TEX}$F_{0}${/TEX}ATPase characteristics. The present study on diet differences in {TEX}$F_{1}${/TEX}{TEX}$F_{0}${/TEX}ATPase characteristics provides considerable insight into the role diets play in the control of mitochondrial function, expecially OXPHOS in NIDDM with mitochondrial defects.