Purpose: To analyze the type 2 diabetes (T2D) health burden in Mexico by sex at the national and state levels from 1990 to 2017. Methods: This was a secondary analysis based on data from the Global Burden of Disease Study, 1990-2017. We used the indicators of mortality rates, years of life lost due to premature mortality (YLLs), years lived with disability (YLDs), and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs). Results: At the national level, there was an increase in the standardized mortality rates, YLLs, YLDs and DALYs, especially in the male group. At the state level, the health impacts of T2D varied within the population and did not exhibit any clearly defined geographic pattern. However, the most pronounced increases in the various indicators occurred in the poorer states of the country. Conclusion: T2D continues to have a dominant impact on Mexican public health, with marked disparities between the states. Working to reduce these health inequalities is necessary, and resources must be focused on the priority groups, for example, men, young and middle-aged adults, and individuals living in the states with the highest index of marginalization.