OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationship between meeting muscle strengthening activity (MSAs) guidelines among individuals with diabetes and meeting the guidelines association on self-rated health among adults in North Carolina. METHODS: Self-rated health (Would you say your general health is: favorable (excellent, very good, good), or non-favorable (fair or poor)) was assessed among 1325 individuals in North Carolina who reported having diabetes mellitus by the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). Univariate analysis was used to determine study population demographics. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were used to assess the association between self-rated health and the covariates. RESULTS: 16% of sample population met muscle strengthening recommendation. Variables found to be a significant predictor of self-rated health were income (OR=4.17, p=0.0002) and education (OR=2.86, p=0.0016). Individuals who met the muscle strengthening recommendation were slightly more likely, how not statistically significant, to report favorable general health (OR=1.03, p=0.8885). DISCUSSION: Meeting muscle strengthening activity recommendations has very little, if any, association with improved self-rated health in individuals with diabetes mellitus. Income and education were statistically significant predictors of self-rated; which follows the literature. Future studies are needed to determine if there is an association between meeting muscle strengthening activities recommendations and self-rated health among adults with type 2 diabetes in North Carolina.