Type 2 diabetes (T2D) caused by the complex interplay of both genetic and environmental factors, is a serious public health issue. Compelling evidence from epidemiological studies has highlighted that an unhealthy lifestyle, such as obesity, physical inactivity and poor diet are significant drivers of the epidemic of T2D. Meanwhile, recent genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified a large number of T2D and glycemic traits loci. Emerging data emphasize the critical role that gene-environment interactions have played in the development of T2D. Identifying the genetic, environmental factors and their complex interplays may help elucidate the biological pathways of T2D, identify the high-risk groups and characterize heterogeneity in intervention programs. This review summarized the studies investigating gene-environment interactions of T2D.