The number of people with diabetes in Hong Kong has increased dramatically over the past 10 years. In Hong Kong, one in 10 people have diabetes and only 50% are diagnosed. Diabetes reduces life expectancy by 10-12 years and is the leading cause of stroke, blindness, heart attack, kidney failure, amputation and impotence. Approximately 50% of patients with heart attack, stroke or kidney failure have diabetes as the main cause. Despite the highly preventable nature of these life-threatening complications, they are often silent and insidious. Thus, many patients become aware of their serious nature only when they are struck by these devastating illnesses. To detect these complications or their risk factors early, all patients with diabetes are advised to undergo comprehensive assessments every 12-18 months.

Over the past two decades, the Chinese University of Hong Kong has developed a comprehensive assessment programme to identify subjects with diabetic complications and those at risk. Based on the results of these assessments using internationally recommended protocols, patients can be stratified into different risk groups for future development of complications to help them and their health care team make informed choices about their health.

In 2007, the Yao Chung Kit Diabetes Assessment Centre was established through a generous donation from the Yao Yiu Sai Education and Charitable Memorial Fund to the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) to increase the accessibility, affordability and sustainability of this much needed risk stratification programme to benefit the growing population of patients with diabetes in the community.