The prevalence of diabetes is increasing globally. Diabetic vascular complications are the primary cause of death and disability in the elderly at present. Fatty acid binding protein (FABP), a family of lipid chaperones, is a key inflammatory molecule linking obesity, diabetes and vascular diseases, and plays an important role in diabetic vasculopathy. This article reviews the molecular mechanism of FABP family members in the occurrence and development of diabetes mellitus and its vasculopathy, the therapeutic value as intervention target and the clinical significance as biomarkers, in order to provide evidence and ideas for the research and development of anti-diabetic vasculopathy drugs represented by FABP.