Why is diabetes so much more prevalent in the Aboriginal population and especially among the First Nations? This publication explains why Aboriginals are at higher risk for this disease and why it occurs three times more and at a younger age than the national average in the First Nations on-reserve population. It addresses concerns such as early onset, severity, complications, accessible service and increasing prevalence. Although most of the data available focuses on the First Nations, the status of diabetes in the Inuit and Metis populations are also discussed and compared. It is hoped this information will be a stepping stone for the development of future public health policies and interventions to reduce diabetes in the Aboriginal population.