AIM 1. To assess the nature of fasting dyslipidaemia in type 2 diabetes mellitus and correlate the same with severity and duration of diabetes. 2. To assess the postprandial lipid abnormalities in type 2 diabetes and to compare it with that of the fasting lipid load in diabetics. METHODS The study was carried out in Vinayaka Missions Medical College and Hospital, Karaikal over a period of 2 years. A total of 50 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus were included and were compared with 50 age and sex matched healthy controls fulfilling the inclusion and exclusion criteria. RESULTS In this study, the mean age +/- SD was 48.5 +/- 5.68 years. The mean HbA1c +/- SD was 7.48 +/- 1.517. All cases in fasting state had raised VLDL-C levels (Mean 50.39 +/- 60.27), raised total cholesterol (Mean 169.70 +/- 39.917), raised TGL (Mean 146.04 +/- 60.140), decreased LDL-C (Mean 92.3 +/- 27.699) when compared to control group. In the postprandial state, there was a significant raise in TGL level (Mean 188 +/- 68.59), raised total cholesterol (Mean180.74 +/- 38.46), decreased HDL-C (Mean 38.761 +/- 9.028) compared to the fasting state. CONCLUSION It was found that there was a raised in TGL levels in the postprandial state, raised VLDL-C and reduced LDL-C in fasting state, raised total cholesterol and reduced HDL-C seen in both fasting and postprandial statesof diabetic patients.