The increasing prevalence of diabetes, especially type 2 diabetes, combined with a steadily increasing proportion of older people in the population, will present enormous challenges for health care services in Norway. An epidemiologic study of diabetes-related foot ulcers among community-dwelling adults, including older people, based on data from the Nord-Trøndelag Health Study (HUNT2) showed that a history of foot ulcer was significantly associated with increased mortality and that about 10% of the people with diabetes reported a history of foot ulcer. Studies have shown that a foot ulcer is associated with reduced quality of life, social limitations and pain. Treating foot ulcers costs society considerable money. These results emphasize that diabetes-related foot ulcers represent a challenge for the individual and for health care services. Health care services need to rapidly begin treatment for people with diabetes-related foot ulcers to ensure high-quality treatment.