Joined the programme in 2020
Strasbourg has joined the programme on November 13th, 2020. The initiative is the result of a collaboration between the Eurometropolis and the City of Strasbourg, the Embassy of Denmark, the University Hospital of Strasbourg, Novo Nordisk France, local associations, the French Diabetes Federation, the Food Banks national network, and also local companies such as myfood.
Strasbourg and its region has one of the highest prevalence of diabetes. The number of patients treated pharmacologically for diabetes is the second highest in France: 5.34% in Alsace compared to 4.67% at the national level. The Hauts-de-France region comes first, with a prevalence for diabetes of 5.61% in Nord- Pas-de-Calais. It is estimated that between 40,000 and 45,000 adults in the Grand Est region are unaware that they have diabetes. Diabetes-related mortality is higher than anywhere else in the territory (8% mortality).
There are also warning signs among the youngest, since nearly 25% of Alsatian students in the 6th grade are overweight or obese.1
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Key facts and figures
40-45k
adults in the Grand Est region are unaware that they have diabetes.1
31,500
inhabitants of the Strasbourg Euro-metropolis are treated for diabetes (type 1 and 2 combined)1
1 in 8
children in kindergarten are affected by being overweight in Strasbourg.1
In 2020, Strasbourg became the first French city to join the Cities for Better Health programme. A broad coalition of stakeholders has come together to make Strasbourg the forefront of prevention targeting young people and vulnerable people living in precarity. Since November 2020, the programme focused its actions on three areas:
Fighting diabetes and obesity in the young generation
The actions aim to raise children's and their parents’ awareness in the fields of health, food, and sustainability: adapted physical activity programmes for schoolkids were implemented in 6 schools with an organization named Unis vers le Sport. Another sport organization, Siel Bleu, will start in September sport activities in another school. In addition, the installation of two greenhouses in a cultural and social center and in an elementary schools is planned this year to teach children how to cultivate fruits and vegetables and to highlight the risks coming from eating unhealthy food.
Preventing diabetes and obesity in vulnerable individuals
Adapted physical activity for adults is animated with the association Unis vers le sport in 5 different sport clubs; prevention documents/flyers with the National Food Banks, the National Diabetes Federation and the local Diabetes Association were created; awareness and screening sessions with the European Diabetes Study Center (CeeD) were organized.
A research study to target specific districts
In 2021, a mapping of diabetes and obesity in the Strasbourg Eurometropolis was conducted by the Regional Health Observatory. It allows to strengthen knowledge and to better target at-risk populations and then evaluate the actions implemented.
“The Embassy of Denmark in France is glad to be a partner of the Cities for Better Health programme which was initiated by Novo Nordisk six years ago. This partnership is built on our desire to strengthen the ties between France and Denmark, and more specifically to allow French and Danish stakeholders alike to share their public health experience. This programme, that unites private and public stakeholders around the Strasbourg municipality and Eurometropolis, is highly important to enable a fruitful collaboration on prevention.”
— HE Sir Michael Starbæk Christensen, Ambassador of Denmark to France
All the results come from the Grand Est 2018-2027 Regional Health Project (PRS) published in April 2017 and highlight the need to address the diabetes and obesity challenge in Strasbourg
