In order to stop the spread of diabetes in Spain, it is necessary to have accurate, reliable data on its prevalence in the Spanish population. Di@bet.es Study, is a joint initiative between CIBERDEM, the Sociedad Española de Diabetes (SED) and the dissolved Federación Española de Diabetes (FED), which was launched with the aim of obtaining exhaustive knowledge of the epidemiology of diabetes mellitus type 2 in Spain.

CIBERDEM, the principal financing institution of the study, firmly believes in the importance of the epidemiological information which is being obtained. Its results will allow the Spanish Public Health authorities to formulate prevention strategies as well as more efficient and effective research into and treatment of diabetes.

Objectives
To determine the overall incidence (known and unknown) of type 2 diabetes mellitus in a representative sample of the Spanish population.
To determine the relationship between the incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus and the nutritional habits and physical activity of the individuals within the sample, as well as relevant information regarding their demographic and genetic characteristics.
To determine the incidence of impaired fasting glucose and impaired glucose tolerance, insulin-resistance, hypertension, dyslipidaemia, obesity, and metabolic syndrome in a representative sample of the Spanish population.
To provide a scientific tool for assessing institutional health strategies.
To determine the relationship between the incidence of these disorders and the nutritional habits and physical activity of the individuals within the sample.
To provide a collection of human serum samples for carrying out studies on the analysis of gene-environment interaction in the pathogenesis of diabetes.

Calendar
January 2008 - August 2008: Pilot study to test the viability of the project.
August 2008 - July 2010: Field work in the five regions covered by the study to obtain samples from a total of 5,728 individuals.
July 2010 - September 2010: Compilation and treatment of the data obtained in order to arrive at final results regarding the prevalence of diabetes in different groups of the Spanish population.
October 2010: Public presentation of preliminary results at the Instituto de Salud Carlos III in Madrid.
April 2011: Public presentation of results at the Congress of the Sociedad Española de Diabetes in Málaga.
October 2011: Prevalence of diabetes mellitus and impaired glucose regulation in Spain. Di@bet.es Study is published in Diabetologia.

Members
Direction Federico Soriguer (Hospital Carlos Haya-IMABIS, Málaga, and CIBERDEM)

Coordination Gemma Pascual (CIBERDEM Management Office) and Gemma Rojo (Hospital Carlos Haya-IMABIS, Málaga, and CIBERDEM)

Northern Region Field work coordination and CIBERDEM Management: Luis Castaño (Hospital de Cruces, Bilbao, and CIBERDEM). Field work: Alicia Cobo, Ana Maria Megido

Northeastern Region Field work coordination: Albert Goday (Hospital del Mar de Barcelona). CIBERDEM Management: Ramon Gomis (Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, IDIBAPS, and CIBERDEM). Field work: Alba Arocas, Laura Esquius, Rosario Suarep, Maria Dolores Zomeño

Eastern Region Field work coordination: Miguel Catalá (Hospital Clínico de Valencia and CIBERDEM). CIBERDEM Management: Rafael Carmena (Hospital Clínico de Valencia and CIBERDEM). Field work: Clara Bixquert, Nieves Brito

Central Region Field work coordination: Alfonso Calle (Hospital San Carlos de Madrid). CIBERDEM Management: Manuel Serrano Ríos (Hospital San
Carlos de Madrid and CIBERDEM). Field work: Isabel Alonso, Enrique Mañas

Southern Region Field work coordination: Gemma Rojo (Hospital Carlos Haya-IMABIS, Málaga, and CIBERDEM). CIBERDEM Management: Federico Soriguer (Hospital Carlos Haya-IMABIS, Málaga, and CIBERDEM). Field work: Rocío Badía, Isabel Guillén

Other Members Alfonso López Alba (Hospital Universitario de Canarias, Tenerife), Elena Bordiu (Hospital San Carlos de Madrid), Roser Casamitjana (Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, IDIBAPS, and CIBERDEM), Conxa Castell (Consejo Asesor sobre la Diabetes Dirección General de Salud Pública, Generalitat de Catalunya, Barcelona), Elias Delgado (Hospital General de Asturias), Edelmiro Menéndez (Hospital Universitario Central de Astúrias), Josep Franch (Centre d’Atenció Primària Raval Sud, Barcelona), José A Vázquez (Hospital de Cruces, Bilbao), Sonia Gaztambide (Hospital de Cruces, Bilbao, and CIBERDEM), Juan Girbés (Hospital Arnau de Vilanova de Valencia), Maria Teresa Martínez-Larrad (Hospital San Carlos de Madrid and CIBERDEM), Emilio Ortega (Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, IDIBAPS, and CIBERDEM), Inmaculada Mora (Hospital Universitario de Canarias, Tenerife), Sergio Valdés (Hospital Carlos Haya-IMABIS, Málaga, and CIBERDEM), and, Joan J Vendrell (Hospital Joan XXIII de Tarragona and CIBERDEM)