The data shown above were collected by the EUCID project for the year 2005 (+/- 1 year). Standardization was carried out using the European Standard Population (IARC 1976). This makes data more comparable between countries of differing population age structure.

Data originated from 3 different sources:

• Health interview surveys: telephone interviews of a representative sample of the national population, excluding people with undiagnosed diabetes.
• Medical records: including all diagnosed persons diabetes patients, who have either been pharmacologically treated or have received dietery advice.
• Administrative databases: including only pharmacologically treated individuals.

Only the second option gives a complete figure for the diagnosed diabetic population. The first option is part of the health interview survey that is regularly carried out in most EU countries.