Experts at EASD 2026 have welcomed a new European initiative encouraging routine health checks to identify cardiovascular and metabolic risk factors before complications develop.
The first-ever EU Screening Week, held from September 28 to October 4, 2026, encouraged people across Europe to check their blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood glucose levels. Under the theme Know Your Numbers, the campaign aimed to raise awareness of cardiometabolic risk and promote earlier preventive action.1,2
The initiative comes amid growing concern over the interconnected burden of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity. Cardiovascular disease accounted for approximately 1.7 million deaths in the EU in 2022, representing one in three deaths, and affects an estimated 62 million people. 3 According to the joint scientific associations’ announcement, 35.3 million people in the EU live with diabetes, while Eurostat figures indicate that 16.3% of adults had obesity in 2025. 1,4
At a press conference during the EASD 2026 on September 29, representatives from EASD, the European Society of Cardiology (ESC), and the European Association for the Study of Obesity (EASO) emphasized the importance of integrating evidence-based screening into healthcare systems. 1
Prof. Francesco Giorgino, President of EASD, highlighted the challenges of undiagnosed type 2 diabetes, which can remain undetected until complications develop. “Screening can help us identify risk earlier and act sooner,” he said, emphasizing that cardiovascular prevention strategies must also include people living with type 1 diabetes, who face increased cardiovascular risk over time. ”
The campaign supports the European Commission’s EU Safe Hearts Plan, which aims to reduce premature cardiovascular mortality by 25% by 2035. It also coincides with a new proposal for an EU Council Recommendation on cardiovascular health checks, designed to strengthen early detection across Member States.5,6
Experts called on national governments to translate these ambitions into accessible, integrated screening programs, emphasizing the importance of identifying cardiometabolic risk earlier to help reduce complications and improve long-term health outcomes.1
References
- European Society of Cardiology, European Association for the Study of Diabetes, European Association for the Study of Obesity. Know your numbers – experts welcome first-ever EU Screening Week and encourage citizens across Europe to check their blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar. September 29, 2026.
- European Association for the Study of Obesity. EU Screening Week. September 24, 2026.
- Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. The State of Cardiovascular Health in the European Union. OECD Publishing; 2025.
- Eurostat. Obesity rate in the EU: 16.3% in 2025. September 4, 2026.
- European Commission. EU Screening Week: know your vital numbers. September 28, 2026.
- European Commission. Proposal for a Council Recommendation on cardiovascular health checks: an EU approach to early detection and screening. COM(2026) 481 final. September 28, 2026.
Disclosures: This article was created by the touchENDOCRINOLOGY team utilizing AI as an editorial tool (ChatGPT [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com/chat.) The content was developed and edited by human editors. No funding was received in the publication of this article.
Cite: EU Screening Week launches with call for earlier detection of cardiometabolic disease. touchENDOCRINOLOGY. September 2026
Editor: Nicola Cartridge, Director of Content
touchOPHTHALMOLOGY coverage of EASD 2026: This content has been developed independently by Touch Medical Media for touchENDOCRINOLOGY. It is not affiliated with the EASD.
