World Diabetes Day: Why Does This Date Matter?

Every year, the international health community dedicates a day to focusing attention on diabetes: World Diabetes Day. It is one of the most significant dates in the global health calendar, marked in more than 160 countries.

Below we explain where this initiative comes from, when it falls in the calendar, and why it remains as necessary today as ever.

Origins of World Diabetes Day

The initiative was launched in 1991, jointly established by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), in response to the sustained rise in cases of type 2 diabetes worldwide.¹

The aim was clear: to raise awareness of a disease that, year after year, was affecting a growing number of people.¹

Fifteen years later, in 2006, the UN officially recognised the date, making it the largest awareness campaign that exists on the different types of diabetes.¹ It is now estimated that the message reaches around one billion people across the globe.¹

Since then, each edition has revolved around a different theme or slogan, proposed by the IDF, which sets the tone for the communication campaigns, educational materials and events held both locally and internationally throughout that cycle.³,⁴

"Early action on diabetes" is the theme 2026–2027, focusing on early diagnosis and risk reduction.⁷

When Is It Marked?

World Diabetes Day is held every year on 14 November.³

The date was not chosen at random: it coincides with the birth of Sir Frederick Banting, the physician who, together with Charles Best, discovered insulin in 1921–1922. .¹

Thanks to the involvement of more than 160 countries,¹ a wide variety of initiatives are typically organised on this day: awareness talks in schools, type 2 diabetes screening sessions, and specific training aimed at healthcare professionals, among many other activities.⁵

To find out about the events scheduled each year and the associated local campaigns, the official World Diabetes Day website publishes an interactive map together with ideas for getting involved in your own community.⁵
 

Why Is This Day Still Necessary?

The figures speak for themselves: global estimates put the number of adults living with diabetes at 589 million (11.1% — 1 in 9), in addition to 9.15 million people of all ages living with type 1 diabetes, of whom 1.81 million are under 20.²  Projections indicate these figures will continue to rise in the years ahead (853 million adults projected by 2050).² Projections indicate these figures will continue to rise in the years ahead (853 million adults projected by 2050).² It is also estimated that 635 million adults have impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) (12%), i.e. are at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes.⁷

Added to this is the problem of late diagnosis: more than 4 in 10 adults with diabetes (42.8%, i.e. around 252 million) are undiagnosed and may already have serious damage or complications by the time they are finally diagnosed. ⁷ This is no small matter, as the disease is one of the leading causes of blindness, kidney damage, heart attacks and limb loss.⁷Diabetes was responsible for more than 3.4 million deaths in 2024 (9.3% of all-cause deaths).8

This is why global awareness-raising remains relevant. The various editions of World Diabetes Day share the same underlying purpose:⁶

• That the public understands their real risk of developing type 2 diabetes and knows how to reduce it.
• That people with diabetes know their options for accessing the best possible care.
• That healthcare professionals have the training and resources needed to provide quality care.

Even so, there is still a long way to go: many people with diabetes do not receive the support, information or education they need to better manage their condition.⁴ And this need goes beyond glucose control alone: it also involves comprehensive support, including support in the workplace and equitable access to insulin.⁷

Factors such as care tailored to each individual case, support from family and social networks, and appropriate attention to mental health can make a real difference to the quality of life of those living with diabetes.⁴

In short, World Diabetes Day is far more than a date in the calendar: it is an annual call to action to raise awareness of all types of diabetes and to keep improving the lives of those affected by it.

If you would like to get involved, you can check the proposals from your community and the resources available on the official World Diabetes Day website every 14 November.