Why is Type 1 Diabetes on the Rise?

We seem to see new headlines about the diabetes epidemic every week. Typically we tend to think of increasing diabetes in terms of the type 2 form of the disease, because of the increased incidence of obesity and poor lifestyle choices.

However, there is also plenty of evidence that type 1 diabetes is also on the rise.

The type 1 form of the condition is an immune-mediated disease that tends to begin in childhood, and has therefore come to be known as “Juvenile Diabetes”. Its incidence has been steadily rising at a rate of up to 5% each year, and scientists are still struggling to explain the reason for this. 

Although both types of diabetes are very different, it is thought that both may be connected to lifestyle choices that cause excess weight gain.

If you’re interested in reading more about this alarming rise, including some of the possible reasons behind it, feel free to read the article that I recently wrote for a new diabetes website called Be Sure To Test.

Image credit cohdra @morgueFile