The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) is a non-profit umbrella organisation and the global voice of the diabetes community, headquartered in Brussels, Belgium. It was officially founded on September 23, 1950, in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, to address the growing global challenge of diabetes. The IDF's mission is to improve and empower the lives of the estimated 590 million people living with diabetes and to prevent the condition in those at risk.
The Federation works by supporting its network of 264 national diabetes associations across 163 countries and territories, which are organised into seven regions, including South East Asia (SEA). Its mechanism involves influencing policy, providing education through the IDF School of Diabetes, and increasing public awareness. A key initiative is leading World Diabetes Day (WDD), observed annually on November 14, which it introduced in 1991 in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO). The IDF also publishes the influential IDF Diabetes Atlas and aligns its activities with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 3 (Good health and well-being).
The IDF is in official relations with the WHO and associated with the UN Department of Public Information. Recently, the IDF updated its strategic plan for 2023-2026 to focus on improving lives and prevention, replacing a previous vision of "Living in a world without diabetes". Furthermore, the 2025 IDF Global Clinical Practice Recommendations for Managing Type 2 Diabetes were updated to incorporate the latest evidence in care.