The International Diabetes Federatio n (IDF) is an umbrella organisation of over 230 national diabetes associations in 170 countries and territories. It represents the interests of the growing number of people with diabetes, as well as those at risk.

To mark diabetes awareness month and World Diabetes Day on November 14, the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) wanted to urge families to learn more about the warning signs of diabetes.

Due to the importance of ensuring any claim made needing to stand up to scrutiny, Arlington Research conducted an online survey of 7,000 people, consisting of statistical representations from Brazil, China, India, South Africa, Turkey, the UK and the US. Nationally representative quotas were applied for gender, age (18-to-65 years old) and region.

Arlington’s research found that despite over two thirds (70%) of people surveyed having a family member with diabetes, an alarming nine-in-ten parents (87%) would have trouble recognising the warning signs of the disease. One-in-four (25%) wouldn’t spot them at all.

The research allowed the IDF to raise awareness of a threat to many at a topical time of the year. It became the cornerstone of a global PR and marketing campaign that aided the Berkeley PR team to gain 37 pieces of global coverage, with a total OTS of nearly 90,000,000 people worldwide.