Diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs either when the pancreas does not produce enough of the blood sugar-regulating hormone insulin or when the body cannot effectively use the insulin it produces. Hyperglycaemia, or elevated blood sugar, is a common effect of diabetes that eventually leads to serious damage to many of the body's systems, especially the nerves and blood vessels. Diabetes is one of the four major noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and its global prevalence has been steadily increasing in recent years. In the Western Pacific Region alone, it is estimated that 131 million people (8.4% prevalence) were living with diabetes in 2014.

Preventing diabetes requires taking a life-course approach by improving early childhood nutrition, providing supportive environments for physical activity, and developing interventions that can support its prevention and control.