Diabetes screening bus to test 100,000 undiagnosed Danes this summer

A mobile health clinic will tour Denmark this summer to screen for undiagnosed type 2 diabetes, as an estimated 100,000 people live with the condition unaware, national broadcaster DR reports.

The Diabetes Association’s screening bus, operated in partnership with GF Insurance, will visit festivals, public gatherings, and markets across all Danish cities. Participants first complete a risk-assessment questionnaire, with those flagged as high-risk offered an immediate finger-prick blood test measuring long-term blood sugar levels.

Results are available on-site. Those showing signs of diabetes or prediabetes will be advised to follow up with their general practitioner.

According to the association, roughly 348,500 Danish adults already have diagnosed type 2 diabetes, which can lead to cardiovascular disease, kidney failure, and vision problems. Another 500,000 are estimated to have prediabetes.

From 2022 to 2025, the bus tested about 11,000 people, with 5,400 undergoing blood tests. Of those, 525 had prediabetes and 153 had undiagnosed type 2 diabetes.

The 2026 tour concludes on November 14 at Aarhus Central Station, coinciding with World Diabetes Day. A full route schedule is available on the Diabetes Association’s website.

Common symptoms of type 2 diabetes—often gradual and easily overlooked—include fatigue, excessive thirst, frequent urination, unexplained weight loss, blurred vision, genital itching, slow-healing wounds, and recurrent infections.