Diabetes is recognized as a public health priority in France, and this problem is particularly acute in mainland France. In the absence of specific studies, the situation regarding diabetes is particularly serious in the overseas departments, where the prevalence of diabetes is two to three times higher. The prevalence in Mayotte is unknown, and there is no detailed description of the diabetic population. The Cire Réunion-Mayotte work program for 2005 includes conducting research to justify and assess the feasibility of a survey to accurately estimate the prevalence of diabetes in the general population of Mayotte. An assessment of the available data on Mayotte revealed scattered and fragmented information suggesting a discrepancy between the number of known diabetic patients monitored by health services and the underlying public health issue. Furthermore, changes in lifestyle and dietary habits on the island, linked to socioeconomic upheaval, are contributing to the rise of diabetes; the condition can progress undiagnosed, and the prevalence of undiagnosed diabetes could be high. This situation warrants a specific assessment of diabetes prevalence in Mayotte to provide an overview that will enable public authorities to adapt prevention, screening, and care provision efforts. To identify the operational and logistical challenges of such a survey, a pilot study was conducted in June 2005 in a neighborhood of an urban municipality (Mamoudzou) and a neighborhood of a rural municipality (Chirongui). This study consisted of three phases: a home-based recruitment phase of subjects meeting the inclusion criteria, followed by a diabetes screening phase at the homes of the subjects recruited during the previous phase. During the third stage, known diabetic subjects, those who tested positive and were considered at risk for diabetes, as well as controls, were summoned to the health clinic nearest their homes for diagnostic confirmation, which included biological samples, anthropometric measurements, a clinical examination, and a detailed interview. This preliminary study assessed operational and logistical constraints as well as the conditions for acceptability among institutional partners, healthcare professionals, and the general population. The study’s acceptability was excellent, particularly among the general population, which expressed great interest in this public health issue and demonstrated a genuine motivation to participate. The protocol followed, the questionnaires, and the materials used—which had already been tested in previous studies—posed no major difficulties. Nevertheless, a few minor adjustments, taking into account the observations made during this pilot study, are proposed to facilitate the implementation of a study on the prevalence of diabetes and its characteristics in the general population of Mayotte. (R.A.)