The Guidelines are the work of the IDF Task Force on Clinical Guidelines, which is focused on meeting the critical global need to provide up-to-date evidence-based information and training for healthcare professionals. This is especially important as, alarmingly, the latest data from the IDF Diabetes Atlas show that over 285 million people worldwide now live with diabetes. Within 20 years, IDF predicts the figure will jump to 435 million. Healthcare professionals must be equipped with the latest improvements and standards in diabetes care to tackle this spiralling epidemic.

The IDF Global Guideline on Pregnancy and Diabetes aims to set a global standard for the care of gestational diabetes and people with diabetes who become pregnant. Gestational diabetes is common and, like obesity and type 2 diabetes, is increasing in frequency throughout the world. The risk of developing diabetes after gestational diabetes is very high.

This is the first International Diabetes Federation Guideline on Pregnancy. It is an important issue for IDF to address because of the growing number of women this now affects worldwide, said Dr Stephen Colagiuri, Chair of the IDF Task Force on Clinical Guidelines.

IDF also released new guidelines on the Self-Monitoring of Blood Glucose in Non-Insulin Treated Type 2 Diabetes and Oral Health for People With Diabetes. Both these guidelines cover important but often neglected areas of diabetes care, said Dr Colaguiri.

The IDF Oral Health for People With Diabetes Guideline recommends a focus on clinical care for people with diabetes, integrating not only diabetes but oral health professionals. Poor oral health can negatively impact the lives of people living with diabetes and they need to be educated on how to not only manage their diabetes but their oral health. The guideline joins a list of IDF Clinical Guidelines addressing cores needs in diabetes. The IDF Guidelines on Self-Monitoring of Blood Glucose in Non-Insulin Treated Type 2 Diabetes provides recommendations for people with diabetes and their healthcare professionals. Type 2 diabetes is responsible for 85-95% of all diabetes and this guideline recommends that SBMG should be considered an ongoing part of diabetes self-management education. Another of its key recommendations is that SBMG Protocols (intensity and frequency) should be individualized to address each individual’s specific educational/behavioural/clinical requirements (to identify/prevent/manage acute hyper- and hypoglycaemia) and provider requirements for data on glycaemic patterns and to monitor impact of therapeutic decision-making.

These guidelines are just a first step. In addition, IDF coordinates workshops worldwide to ensure that care for all people with diabetes is improved regardless of income level or geography, said Dr Colagiuri. The mission of IDF is to promote diabetes care, prevention and a cure worldwide. By producing global diabetes guidelines, we are working diligently to fulfil that mission and to improve the lives of people with diabetes.