Abstract: Objective To investigate the correlation between sarcopenia and albuminuria in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Methods A total of 360 T2DM patients (including 206 male and 154 female patients) hospitalized in our hospital between January, 2015 and December, 2018 were enrolled. According to their medical history and laboratory test results, the patients were divided into albuminuria group (n=122) and non-albuminuria group (n=238). The clinical and anthropological data were collected and skeletal muscle index (SMI), appendage lean mass, muscle index, total body fat, bone mineral capacity and bone mineral density were measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Logistic regression was used to analyze the correlation of these body composition parameters with albuminuria or chronic kidney disease (CKD) in the diabetic patients. Results The disease course of T2DM, history of hypertension, age, systolic blood pressure, low density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglyceride, uric acid, waistline, Urinary albumin creatinine ratio, serum creatinine, and glomerular filtration rate differed significantly between the diabetic patients with albuminuria and those without albuminuria (P<0.05). The prevalence rate of sarcopenia was significantly higher in patients with albuminuria (31.4% vs 13.1%, P<0.01). Compared with those without albuminuria, the patients with albuminuria had significantly decreased SMI (t=-2.304, P=0.021) and body mass index (Z=- 5.534, P<0.01) and significantly increased total body fat (Z=- 2.838, P=0.005). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that after adjustment for age, gender, total body fat, smoking history, drinking history, duration of diabetes, HbA1c, history of hypertension, systolic blood pressure, low density lipoprotein cholesterol, body mass index, and triglyceride, the patients with a decreased SMI had a significantly increased risk of albuminuria (P=0.011 and 0.010), but SMI was not correlated with the risk of CKD in patients with T2DM (P>0.05). Conclusion Sarcopenia is probably an independent risk factor for albuminuria in patients with T2DM.