The Foundations for the IMAGE project: DE-PLAN and the Vienna Declaration

The IMAGE project has evolved from the DE-PLAN project (“Diabetes in Europe - Prevention using Lifestyle, Physical Activity and Nutritional intervention”), a European Union (EU) public health research project that commenced in 2004. Led by Prof. Jaakko Tuomilehto (University of Helsinki),the objective for the DE-PLAN is to develop the structures for a European prevention management concept which can be implemented into clinical practice. This concept is currently being tested in pilot projects funded by the Commission of the European Communities, Directorate C - Public Health. The DE-PLAN project will conclude in 2007, when the results related to the efficient identification of subjects at high risk of type 2 diabetes in the community will be presented. The DE Plan project will also assess the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of translating current research knowledge into existing health care systems.

The concepts for prevention management were discussed at the EU Conference on Prevention of Type 2 Diabetes, Vienna, April 2006. During the conference, the Austrian EU Presidency highlighted the prevention of type 2 diabetes and ist complications as the priority topics for health during ist presidency in 2006. The results of the expert discussions during the conference formed the “Vienna Declaration”, which comprises the main findings and recommendations on all areas related to the implementation of diabetes prevention and management in tackling the burden of diabetes at EU level.
The Vienna Declaration was presented at the informal conference of Health Ministers at the formal Council in June 2006.

Another milestone in showing the political awareness for the growing diabetes epidemic was
the UN-Resolution on Diabetes in December 2006 which states that a non-communicable disease like Diabetes may as much threaten the world’s public health as infectious diseases, e.g. HIV, tuberculosis or malaria.

The IMAGE project: Achieving European standards of implementation

The DE-PLAN project forms the foundations for the IMAGE project. The IMAGE project will expand on the prevention management concepts already being proven by the DE-PLAN, to create a European wide framework for the primary prevention of type 2 diabetes.