BACKGROUND:Diabetes is frequently associated with dyslipidemia and Obesity is one of the major risk factors. Anthropometrical measurements like BMI and WHR were used to rule out obesity and are more practical both in the clinical practice and epidemiological studies. Dyslipidemia remains largely under diagnosed and neglected in high risk populations in both Type-1 and Type-2 diabetes. To this purpose we have evaluated the lipid profiles in young diabetic patients (Type-1 and Type-2) to correlate them with their glycemic status, body mass index and waist-hip ratio in comparison with control subjects. METHODS: This comparative study was conducted in 65 diabetic and 30 non-diabetic patients, who had attended either as inpatients or outpatients to medicine or endocrinology departments of tertiary care hospital at Coastal Andhra Pradesh during the period from December 2006 to October 2008. Complete history was obtained from all these patients and a thorough physical examination was done. Their height, weight, waist and hip circumferences were measured and evaluated glycemic status and lipid profiles biochemically. The data was analyzed statistically and expressed results in mean, standard deviation, unpaired t test, chi-square test RESULTS: The total number of patients studied was 65 diabetics in which Type-1 DM were 15 and Type-2 DM was 50; controls were: 30 in number. In Type-1 BMI of <18.5 (mean=16.60±0.91), whereas in Type 2, 56% of patients had a BMI of ≥25 with a mean of 25.44±4.23. In Type-2 DM, among 22 patients with BMI <25,17(77.27%) had dyslipidemia and among 28 patients with BMI >25, 28(100%) had dyslipidemia. In Type-2 DM, out of 50 patients 32 64%) patients had high W/H ratio and 18(36%) patients had normal W/H ratio. In Type-2 DM TC, TG, LDL-C, were elevated and HDL-C was reduced in Type 2 compared to controls which were statistically significant. Out of 18 well controlled patients 13(72.22%) had dyslipidemia and among 32 poorly controlled and 32 patients had (100%) dyslipidemia. CONCLUSION: The present study suggests that dyslipidemia was more prevalent in diabetics and was associated with poor glycemic status. It was also found that dyslipidemia was more prevalent in over weight and obese patients with Type-2 DM than non-obese patients and Type-1 Diabetics. In Type 2 DM, dyslipidemia was associated with an abnormal WHR than normal WHR.