From January to March 2024, the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) invited our Members to participate in a global survey on the reach of diabetes-related educational initiatives and policies, addressing diabetes education care and prevention in schools. The survey collected answers from 128 IDF Members in 105 countries across all seven IDF regions. In cases where more than one response per country was recorded, the answer from the association working at national level was considered.
The objective was to identify gaps in diabetes initiatives and policies in schools, as well as to determine which countries have a policy implementation plan or a policy on diabetes initiatives in schools and which have no policy implementation plan or policy. IDF Members were asked to share information to the best of their knowledge on:
- Government initiatives and policies relating to diabetes education in school curricula
- Diabetes education for school staff
- School meal programmes
- Physical education
- The care provided by medical teams at school
The answers from IDF Members highlight the need to advocate for more diabetes education in schools to improve knowledge on diabetes prevention and create a stigma-free school environment for students with diabetes. The data obtained will inform where to provide support and resources for implementing diabetes initiatives and policies in schools.
Interactive map – countries and territories with government policies/initiatives: