A Danish Nationwide Cohort of Foot Health in Individuals With Diabetes From the Danish Foot Status Database

OBJECTIVE This study presents a nationwide cohort description of individuals with diabetes attending a state-authorized podiatrist in Denmark. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS This study used data from the Danish Foot Status Database, which contains data on individuals with diabetes attending annual consultations with state-authorized podiatrists. Individuals were identified via their unique central person register number. Data were collected from initiation of the database in September 2015 until 23 June 2025. Data were collected and presented from the individual’s first annual consultation with a state-authorized podiatrist. RESULTS The Danish Foot Status Database includes 1,104,889 unique entries from 241,599 individuals with diabetes. Of individuals attending their first consultation with a state-authorized podiatrist, 43% were male and 6.0% had type 1 diabetes, and the median diabetes duration was 2 years. Neuropathy assessed by biothesiometry >25 V was present in 48%; 12% had absent pedal pulse in the arteria dorsalis pedis, 19% had absent pulse in the arteria tibialis posterior, and 91% had at least one malalignment of the foot. Current diabetic foot ulcer was recorded in 4.2%, prior diabetic foot ulcer in 2.7%, and amputation in 0.5%. CONCLUSIONS This cohort description outlines foot health on a Danish nationwide level among individuals with diabetes. The Danish Foot Status Database offers valuable data and a unique foundation for future research due to extensive clinical detail on a nationwide population.