Disability documents of all diabetic persons (n = 1,707) granted a disability pension in Sweden during 1980 were studied. The following factors were analysed: age, sex, civil status, profession, unemployment, being a housewife, immigration status, form for disability pension application, duration of diabetes, type of treatment, presence of classical late complications and age at onset of diabetes, obesity and alcohol problems. Functional handicaps and symptoms related to a clinically advanced diabetes mellitus could be regarded as the basis for the decision to grant a disability pension to 20-25% of the pensioners. For the remaining 75-80% neither the diabetic state nor its late complications could be held responsible for reduced work capacity. Rather, symptoms like angina pectoris and rheumatic symptoms and many other factors such as obesity, alcohol problems, being an immigrant, or being unemployed influenced the decision to grant a disability pension.