We designed this study to compare the total body fat content and its distribution of diabetics with those of normal subjects. Skinfold thicknesses at eight sites(subscapular, subcostal, abdomen, suprailiac, triceps, forearm, thigh and calf) and body circumferences at five sites(waist, hip, arm, thigh and calf) were measured on 220 diabetics(82 male, 138 female) and on 160 nondiabetic subjects(male 57, female 103). We matched 92 pairs with diabetics and nondiabetic control subjects by sex, age, body weight and height, and made comparisons between two groups(case-control study). The results were as follows: 1) There was no significant difference in total body fat content of diabetics and control (male ; 20.40$pm$2.12%, 19.20$pm$3.52%, female ; 26.46$pm$2.53%, 27.01$pm$2.92%, respectively). However, body muscle mass(%) in diabetic men(33.37$pm$4.19%) was significantly lower than in nondiabetic men(38.16$pm$7.11%). 2) Diabetics, especially women, were characterized by more central body fat than control. That is, indices of centrality of body fat distribution(subscapular/triceps skinfold : STR, central/peripheral fat : CPR) of diabetics were higher than those of control. 3) Body weight, body mass index and %IBW(current body weight$ imes$100/ideal body weight) had negative correlations with duration of diabetes(r=-0.23~-0.33), but total body fat content(%) and indices of body fat distribution, such as STR, CPR, waist/hip girth ratio(WHR), and waist/thigh girth ratio(WTR), were not related to duration of diabetes.