The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) is an umbrella organisation of more than 200 national diabetes associations in over 160 countries, and states its mission as being “to promote diabetes care, prevention and a cure worldwide”. In pursuing this mission, it can proudly point to many highly successful initiatives, helping to raise awareness, advocate for and guide clinical and public health action, and to build alliances for the prevention and control of diabetes and other chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs) worldwide. Unfortunately its partnering with Nestlé, announced on Nestlé's website at the end of April,1 is in our view a serious misjudgment, the long-term effect of which will be contrary to IDF's mission and bad for public health.