This invention discloses the uses of chickpea (Cicer arietinum) extract in the preparation of food for the prevention and treatment of obesity and non-insulin-dependent diabetes (NIDD). The invention provides a therapeutic agent and food containing chickpea extract for the prevention and treatment of obesity and NIDD. In this invention, the effect of chickpea extract to the high fat diet fed mice tested by the experiment proves that the chickpea extract can significantly decrease the levels of triglyceride, cholesterol and low density lipoproteins caused by high fat diet taken in a long period of time. Additionally, it is found in the experiments that the chickpea extract can improve the hyposensitivity to insulin. The preparation of the extract is also disclosed herein.