BACKGROUND Patients with insulin-resistant diabetes have the highest risk of kidney disease. The triglyceride glucose (TyG) index is considered a reliable and simple marker of insulin resistance. We studied the relationship between the TyG index, diabetic kidney disease (DKD), and related metabolic disorders in patients with type 2 diabetes. MATERIAL AND METHODS This retrospective study included a consecutive case series from January 2021 to October 2022 in the Department of Endocrinology at Hebei Yiling Hospital. In total, 673 patients with type 2 diabetes met the inclusion criteria. The TyG index was calculated by napierian logarithmic (ln) (fasting triglyceride×fasting glucose /2). Patient demographic and clinical indicators were obtained from medical records, and statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS version 23. RESULTS The TyG index was significantly related to metabolic indicators (low-density lipoprotein, high-density lipoprotein, alanine aminotransferase, plasma albumin, serum uric acid, triglyceride, and fasting glucose) and urine albumin (P<0.01) but not with serum creatinine and estimated glomerular filtration rate. In multiple regression analysis, an increase in the TyG index was revealed to be an independent risk factor for DKD (OR: 1.699, P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS The TyG index was independently related to DKD and related metabolic disorders; therefore, the TyG index can be used as an early sensitive target for clinical guidance in the treatment of DKD with insulin resistance.