Abstract: Objective To investigate diabetic knowledge among permanent inhabitants in Shanghai with a 52 year fol-low-up study.Methods A cross-sectional survey with multiple-stage and random sampling was conducted among 1896 permanent inhabitants over age of 18 from 4 communities of Pudong New District in Shanghai.Questionnaire surrey was done at the beginning and the end of 5-year follow-up.Results There were 660 inhabiatants involved in both interviews.The awareness rate of diabetic knowledge in the inhabitants was still be low 50%.The awa reness rate of diabetic knowledge in the inhabitants with normal glucose to lerance was significantly elevated(47.8±26.6%vs.43.8±23.5%,t=2.634,P=0.009).The popularization rates of four issues in the total nine knowledge issues were significantly increased.The degree of the awareness was decreased significantly with age(r=-0.189,P<0.01)and was increased significantly with education level(r=0.347,P<0.01).Conclusion The diabetic knowledge status was meliorated,but still needed to be improved among permanent inhabitants in Shanghai.Inhabitants with impaired glycome tabolism and the elderly are the target population of diabetic knowledge education.