{"id":16867,"date":"2020-11-12T15:56:11","date_gmt":"2020-11-12T20:56:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=16867"},"modified":"2024-04-02T13:06:35","modified_gmt":"2024-04-02T17:06:35","slug":"type-1-vs-type-2-diabetes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/type-1-vs-type-2-diabetes\/","title":{"rendered":"Type 1 vs. Type 2 diabetes: What’s the difference?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Type 1 vs. Type 2 diabetes causes<\/a> | Prevalence<\/a> | Symptoms<\/a> | Diagnosis<\/a> | Treatments<\/a> | Risk factors<\/a> | Prevention<\/a> | When to see a doctor<\/a> | FAQs<\/a> | Resources<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Approximately 1 in 10 people have diabetes, according to <\/span>the CDC<\/span>. In 2018, there were 34.2 million Americans diagnosed with diabetes, which is 10.5% of the population. There are four types of diabetes: prediabetes, Type 1, Type 2, and gestational diabetes. Those with prediabetes or gestational diabetes (diabetes during pregnancy) are at risk for developing Type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is much more common than Type 1, but it\u2019s important to know the difference if you\u2019re at a higher risk of developing any type of diabetes. In this article, we will discuss the difference and similarities between Type 1 vs. Type 2 diabetes.<\/span><\/p>\n

Causes<\/span><\/h2>\n

Type 1 diabetes<\/span><\/h3>\n

The human body requires insulin, which is made in the pancreas. Insulin helps the cells receive blood sugar and use it for energy. When there is no insulin, the blood sugar stays in the bloodstream rather than going into the cells, leading to high blood sugar levels and causing serious health complications and damage to the body.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cType 1 diabetes occurs when people don\u2019t produce enough insulin; it occurs due to the destruction of the insulin-producing pancreatic beta-cell,\u201d explained <\/span>Sunitha Posina<\/span><\/a>, MD, an NYC-based board-certified internist. \u201cMost of the cases are autoimmune, which means your body attacks and destroys the pancreatic cells that produce insulin and therefore you won\u2019t make as much insulin.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Why does the body attack its own cells? Researchers still aren\u2019t quite sure at this time. A trigger, such as exposure to a virus, could cause the attack on the body’s cells, which then leads to the development of Type 1 diabetes.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Type 2 diabetes<\/span><\/h3>\n

Insulin is also the culprit in the case of Type 2 diabetes. However, in Type 2 diabetes, cells don\u2019t respond correctly to insulin, which causes insulin resistance. The pancreas will still produce insulin, however, it will not make enough insulin or the body will not use it effectively. Therefore, blood glucose levels<\/a> rise. The early stages of insulin resistance are called <\/span>prediabetes<\/span><\/a> and can eventually turn into Type 2 diabetes.<\/span><\/p>\n

High blood sugar is a very serious problem. It damages the body and can create other health issues, including heart disease, kidney disease, or vision loss.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It is unclear when some people have insulin resistance, but researchers believe that genetic factors, environmental factors, and lifestyle factors (including excess weight and little exercise) can contribute.<\/span><\/p>\n

Type 2 diabetes is most common in adults, so much so that it was once called adult-onset diabetes. However, now Type 2 diabetes is diagnosed in some children. It has also been called \u201cnon-insulin-dependent diabetes,\u201d which is also inaccurate as some patients may require insulin at some point for the management of their diabetes.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
\n

Type 1 vs. Type 2 diabetes causes<\/span><\/h3>\n<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n

Type 1 diabetes<\/b><\/td>\nType 2 diabetes<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
An autoimmune disease where the body attacks the beta cells in the pancreas, stopping or reducing insulin production.\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nCells don\u2019t respond correctly to insulin as a result of insulin resistance. The pancreas will keep producing more insulin, but it will not effectively regulate blood sugar.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Prevalence<\/span><\/h2>\n

Type 1 diabetes<\/span><\/h3>\n

Out of the 34 million adults with diabetes, only <\/span>5%-10%<\/span><\/a> of these people have Type 1 diabetes, making it less common than Type 2 diabetes. An estimated 187,000 children and adolescents younger than 20 years of age were living with Type 1 diabetes in 2015.<\/span><\/p>\n

Type 2 diabetes<\/span><\/h3>\n

The most common form of diabetes is Type 2 diabetes, with 90% to 95% of the 34 million adults having Type 2 diabetes. The prevalence of diabetes increases with age. Men and women have approximately the same prevalence rate, but the incidence is higher in American Indians and Alaskan Natives. Black and Hispanic populations also have a higher prevalence of diabetes than non-Hispanic whites.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
\n

Type 1 vs. Type 2 diabetes prevalence<\/span><\/h3>\n<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n

Type 1 diabetes<\/b><\/td>\nType 2 diabetes<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n
    \n
  • 5%-10% of diabetes cases are diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes.<\/span><\/li>\n
  • 187,000 children and adolescents have Type 1 diabetes.<\/span><\/li>\n
  • There are approximately 64,000 new cases of Type 1 diabetes per year.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n
\n