This study investigated the impact of either type 2 diabetes or obesity, separately or in combination, on the absolute amounts of microparticles (MP) and the pathways by which these are associated with either condition. The concentrations of circulating MP derived from platelets (PMP), leukocytes (LMP) and monocytes (MMP), together with their specific activation markers, were compared in 30 subjects who were characterised across 4 cohorts as obese or type 2 diabetes. The subjects with type 2 diabetes had elevated concentrations of total PMP (P = 0.003), and PMP that were fibrinogen-positive (P = 0.04), tissue factor-positive (P < 0.001), P-selectin-positive (P = 0.03). Type 2 diabetes did not alter either total or activated LMP or MMP. Obesity per se did not impact on any MP measurement. Elevated concentrations of plasma PMP occurred in subjects with type 2 diabetes, whether they were obese or non-obese. In contrast, obesity in the absence of type 2 diabetes had no effect. The increased concentrations of specific marker-positive PMP in the subjects with diabetes might reflect potential pathways by which PMP may contribute to the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and type 2 diabetes.