Difference of Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes

Diabetes is a condition that affects how your body processes sugar in your blood. While it might sound straightforward, there are actually two main types that work quite differently. Type 1 diabetes usually shows up in childhood or adolescence and isn’t caused by anything a person did. It’s an autoimmune condition, meaning the immune system mistakenly attacks the cells in the pancreas that produce insulin; the hormone that helps move sugar from your blood into your cells for energy. Without insulin, blood sugar levels rise dangerously high, so people with Type 1 need to take insulin daily. It tends to come on suddenly and lasts a lifetime.

Type 2 diabetes, on the other hand, is much more common and typically develops in adults; though more kids and teens are being diagnosed these days. In this type, the body still makes insulin but doesn’t use it properly, often due to a mix of genetics, poor diet, lack of exercise, or excess weight. It usually develops gradually and can often be managed, or even prevented, with healthy lifestyle changes, medication, and sometimes insulin. 

So while both types involve problems with insulin and blood sugar, Type 1 is an autoimmune issue, and Type 2 is more about insulin resistance over time.