People with diabetes are usually asymptomatic. They can be only diagnosed by checking blood glucose levels during medical examinations.

Diabetes is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in Hong Kong. It claimed about 13700 in-patient discharges and in-patient deaths in all hospitals†, and 492 registered deaths‡ in 2015.

It was the tenth commonest cause of death in Hong Kong, accounting for 1.1% of all deaths in 2015.

The gold standard of the diagnosis of Diabetes Mellitus.

- Diabetes can be diagnosed if the patient has a fasting blood glucose level.

- HbA1C measurement has recently been endorsed by the ADA as a diagnostic and screening tool for diabetes and it tells you your average level of blood glucose over the past 2 to 3 months.