Through this targeted lipidomic analysis, the following plasma markers were found as predictors of the type 2 diabetes phenotype: 1) 18∶1n9/18∶0, a marker of increased SCD activity; 2) 22∶5n6/22∶4n6, a marker of suppressed VLCPUFA synthesis; 3) 9(10)-EpOME and 9(10)-EpODE, putative markers of adipose lipolysis; 4) DoHex-EA, a marker of increased eCB system tone; 5) 1-LG, a metabolic marker of obesity. Here, SCD is linked to type 2 diabetes mellitus.