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Last Updated on September 13, 2023 by Aditi Gangal
Type 1 diabetes is genetic and mostly occurs due to hereditary causes. Type 2 diabetes occurs mostly due to lifestyle factors. Type 1 diabetes often shows up early in life. However, the exact causes of type 1 diabetes are not clear enough. Type 2 diabetes develops over time and with age.
The difference between both the types of diabetes lies in the way insulin imbalances affect normal cell functioning. In type 1 diabetes, the body’s own immune system attacks and destroys cells that make insulin. Therefore, type 1 diabetes is known as an autoimmune disease. The autoimmune reaction can be due to environmental factors like a virus triggering the symptoms. Whereas type 2 diabetes occurs when the pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin and the cells poorly respond to the produced insulin.
Is type 1 diabetes better than type 2 diabetes?
No. People often want to know whether type 1 is better than type 2. You should know that one condition is not better or worse than the other. Both types of diabetes can have serious consequences if not diagnosed or managed cautiously. When any type of diabetes is not managed properly, the cells do not get the sugar they need to function. This can lead to various complications.
These complications can also arise due to various myths. Some people believe that incorporating insulin into the management of type 2 diabetes may result in a transformation into type 1 diabetes. However, it is not the case. These conditions originate from separate sources and follow distinct pathways, wherein the role of insulin therapy differs significantly for each.
Another misconception is that diabetes exclusively impacts older individuals. However, this is not accurate. We have discussed about this in the next question.
Which age groups type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes affect the most?
Both the types of diabetes affect children and adults. Although type 2 diabetes is more common in older adults, the increase in obesity among children has increased the cases of type 2 diabetes in the young population. Here, it is essential to understand that type 1 diabetes often isn’t induced by lifestyle. However, an unhealthy lifestyle can worsen the symptoms to affect the quality of life. On the contrary, age, physical inactivity and obesity increases the risk of type 2 diabetes. The chance of type 2 diabetes also increases with family history or ethnic background.
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