OBJECTIVES: For patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM), achieving optimal levels of hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), blood pressure (BP), and LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C), or the “ABCs” of diabetes, has been linked to several health benefits, but goal attainment rates in the United States remain low. This study sought to determine how ABC goal attainment is associated with the presence of major depressive disorder (MDD) and Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) among a national sample of patients with T2DM. METHODS: This study was a retrospective analysis of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data from 2007-2012. Primary endpoints for ABC goal attainment were defined as HbA1c <7%, BP <130/80mmHg, and LDL-C <100mg/dL. The study sample consisted of non-pregnant participants at least 20 years old with T2DM, stratified by presence of MDD. Comparisons between individuals who achieved and were unable to achieve simultaneous ABC goals were conducted using t-tests or chi-square analyses as appropriate. Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze which factors potentially influence ABC goal achievement. RESULTS: A total of 808 participants with T2DM met the inclusion criteria. The mean age for all participants was 60.5 years and 51.4% were female. Based on Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) scores, 11.63% of participants met the criteria for MDD. Overall, 23.7% of total participants were at goal for all 3 ABC parameters, with no significant difference in goal attainment between patients with or without MDD. Participants with T2DM and meeting criteria for MDD reported poorer general health, poorer physical health, and poorer mental health (p<0.001 for all) than those who did not meet criteria for MDD, according to results from the HRQoL survey. CONCLUSIONS: Among the study population with T2DM, presence of MDD showed no significant impact on ABC goal attainment. However, presence of MDD had a positive association with poor HRQoL.