A diabetes diagnosis isn’t the same for everyone. While each type of diabetes is characterized by high blood sugar, type 1, type 1.5, and type 2 diabetes have different causes, risk factors, and treatments. It’s important to understand these differences so you know how to effectively manage your condition.
Type 1 Diabetes
Type 1 diabetes mostly develops in children, teenagers, and young adults. It’s a chronic autoimmune condition where the body’s immune system attacks cells in the pancreas that make insulin. The lack of insulin means the body is unable to regulate its own glucose (blood sugar).
Symptoms of type 1 diabetes develop quite quickly, sometimes in as short as a matter of weeks, and include:
- Increased thirst and hunger
- Increased urination (including bedwetting in children who have been potty trained)
- Blurred vision
- Fatigue
- Irritability and mood changes
- Unintentional weight loss
While the cause of type 1 diabetes is unclear, genetics are believed to play a major role. Some parents may feel guilty after learning their child has been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, but it’s important to understand that there is no known way to prevent it.
“The onset of type 1 diabetes has very little to do with the specifics of your diet and exercise,” says Amy Locke, MD, FAAFP, a family medicine doctor and Chief Wellness Officer at 㽶Ƶ of Utah Health. “It’s a parent’s natural response to say, ‘Oh, it must be my fault.’ But we don’t currently know a way to prevent type 1 diabetes.”
While you can’t reverse type 1 diabetes and you will have to take insulin for life, lifestyle factors can help manage your condition. These include:
- Eating a healthy diet
- Tracking your carbohydrate, fat, and protein intake
- Being active
- Maintaining a healthy weight
- Getting enough sleep
- Managing stress
- Monitoring your blood sugar levels
“Insulin pumps and continuous glucose monitors have really changed the landscape of type 1 diabetes,” Locke says. “Twenty years ago, many people were in and out of the hospital with a shortened lifespan because of complications, and now you see people walking around with pumps and monitors. It’s exciting to see.”
Type 1.5 Diabetes
Type 1.5 diabetes is lesser known. Also called latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA), it’s estimated that of people diagnosed with type 2 diabetes actually have LADA.
“LADA has some features of type 1 and some features of type 2,” Locke says. “People often get misdiagnosed because they might initially respond to oral medication and get by with lifestyle changes. But eventually they do get to a place where they need insulin.”
Like type 1 diabetes, LADA is an autoimmune disease that can’t be reversed. It develops more slowly and usually presents in people older than 30, which is why it’s so commonly misdiagnosed as type 2 diabetes.
Symptoms of LADA are similar to those of type 1 diabetes, but they progress slower. People with LADA will need to monitor their blood sugar regularly, as well as eat a balanced diet and exercise regularly.
Type 2 Diabetes
By far the most common, type 2 diabetes affects between of people who have diabetes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Unlike type 1 and LADA, type 2 diabetes is not an autoimmune condition and is impacted by diet and exercise habits. Type 2 develops slowly over time and is classified by the body becoming less responsive to insulin, making it unable to maintain normal blood sugar levels.
People who have type 2 diabetes may have the same symptoms as those who have type 1 and LADA, but they can take years to become noticeable. They may have received a diagnosis of prediabetes first, which can eventually develop into type 2 if not properly managed.
Risk factors for prediabetes and type 2 diabetes include:
- A sedentary lifestyle
- Poor diet
- Being overweight
- Being age 45 or older
- Family history of diabetes
- Smoking cigarettes
Type 2 diabetes can be put into remission with the help of medication and lifestyle changes. Being in remission means you no longer need to take medication and your glucose levels remain normal with a healthy diet and regular exercise. Staying active, avoiding foods high in sugar, and eating a healthy diet of lean proteins, vegetables, and foods high in fiber are vital to keeping type 2 diabetes under control.