Written by Prof Orsolya Varga, Co-Editor-in-Chief of Journal of Health, Population and Nutrition.

Diabetes and well-being is the theme for World Diabetes Day 2025.

As adults spend a large portion of their lives in workplaces, these settings offer a powerful opportunity to improve diabetes prevention, care, and inclusion. Globally, over 537 million adults live with diabetes (International Diabetes Federation, 2021), with prevalence rising sharply in many regions.

However, accurate data on diabetes epidemiology are often sparse, frequently limited to high-income settings, and rarely reported at the level of specific workplaces or countries. The lack of robust, routine surveillance on diabetes prevalence, incidence, and outcomes in the workplace is a glaring gap in public health. Without reliable data, it is difficult to design targeted interventions or track progress.

Workplace initiatives can make a tangible difference. For example, a large technology employer in Southern California integrated the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) into an on-site clinic, improving engagement by bringing preventive services directly to employees (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2024). Similarly, the University of Colorado provided no-cost diabetes supplies and education for staff, reducing absenteeism and improving self-management (University of Colorado Diabetes at Work Initiative, 2023).

At a policy level, the Blueprint for Action on Diabetes in the European Union highlights the workplace as a key setting under its “Reduce the Risk” pillar, advocating for health-enabling environments and early preventive action (MEP Interest Group on Diabetes, 2021).

As the 2025 World Diabetes Day theme, “Diabetes and well-being: Diabetes and the workplace”, reminds us there is an urgent need to strengthen surveillance and research on workplace diabetes prevalence and outcomes, to scale up integrated health programmes that include screening, lifestyle support and flexible scheduling, and to promote stigma-free, inclusive policies that enable employees with diabetes to manage their condition without barriers.

The workplace is more than a site of productivity;  it is a crucial arena for well-being. To truly support people living with or at risk of diabetes, we must translate awareness into evidence-driven action where adults spend most of their waking hours.

Journal of Health, Population and Nutrition welcomes submissions on diabetes in relation to population health. Learn more at: https://link.springer.com/journal/41043

References:

International Diabetes Federation. IDF Diabetes Atlas, 10th edition, 2021.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Worksite Diabetes Prevention Program Improves Engagement. Preventing Chronic Disease, 2024.

University of Colorado. Managing Diabetes in the Workplace: Coverage Toolkit, 2023.

MEP Interest Group on Diabetes. Blueprint for Action on Diabetes in the European Union: Reduce the Risk pillar, 2021.