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Type 1 diabetes, once known as juvenile diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes, is a chronic condition in which the pancreas produces little or no insulin. Insulin is a hormone needed to allow sugar (glucose) to enter cells to produce energy.

Type 1 diabetes signs and symptoms can appear relatively suddenly and may include: Increased thirst, Frequent urination, Bed-wetting in children who previously didn’t wet the bed during the night, Extreme hunger, Unintended weight loss, Irritability and other mood changes, Fatigue and weakness, Blurred vision.

The exact cause of type 1 diabetes is unknown. Usually, the body’s own immune system (which normally fights harmful bacteria and viruses) mistakenly destroys the insulin-producing (islet, or islets of Langerhans) cells in the pancreas. Other possible causes include: Genetics, and Exposure to viruses and other environmental factors.

Some known risk factors for type 1 diabetes include:

Family history. Anyone with a parent or sibling with type 1 diabetes has a slightly increased risk of developing the condition.
Genetics. The presence of certain genes indicates an increased risk of developing type 1 diabetes.
Geography. The incidence of type 1 diabetes tends to increase as you travel away from the equator.
Age. Although type 1 diabetes can appear at any age, it appears at two noticeable peaks. The first peak occurs in children between 4 and 7 years old, and the second is in children between 10 and 14 years old. Despite active research, type 1 diabetes has no cure. Treatment focuses on managing blood sugar levels with insulin, diet and lifestyle to prevent complications.

Type 2 diabetes is a chronic condition that affects the way your body metabolizes sugar (glucose) Which is an important source of fuel for your body.
Signs and symptoms of type 2 diabetes often develop slowly. In fact, you can have type 2 diabetes for years and not know it. Look for: Increased thirst, Frequent urination, Increased hunger, Unintended weight loss, Fatigue, Blurred vision, Slow-healing sores, Frequent infections, and Areas of darkened skin, usually in the armpits and neck.

Type 2 diabetes develops when the body becomes resistant to insulin or when the pancreas is unable to produce enough insulin. Exactly why this happens is unknown, although genetics and environmental factors, such as being overweight and inactive, seem to be contributing factors
Type 2 diabetes used to be known as adult-onset diabetes, but today more children are being diagnosed with the disorder, probably due to the rise in childhood obesity.
There’s no cure for type 2 diabetes, but losing weight, eating well and exercising can help manage the disease. If diet and exercise aren’t enough to manage your blood sugar well, you may also need diabetes medications or insulin therapy.
Factors that may increase your risk of type 2 diabetes include:
Weight. Being overweight is a main risk factor for type 2 diabetes. However, you don’t have to be overweight to develop type 2 diabetes.
Fat distribution. If you store fat mainly in the abdomen, you have a greater risk of type 2 diabetes than if you store fat elsewhere, such as in your hips and thighs. Your risk of type 2 diabetes rises if you’re a man with a waist circumference above 40 inches (101.6 centimeters) or a woman with a waist that’s greater than 35 inches (88.9 centimeters).
Inactivity. The less active you are, the greater your risk of type 2 diabetes. Physical activity helps you control your weight, uses up glucose as energy and makes your cells more sensitive to insulin.
Family history. The risk of type 2 diabetes increases if your parent or sibling has type 2 diabetes.
Race. Although it’s unclear why, people of certain races (including black, Hispanic, American Indian and Asian-American people) are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than white people are.
Age. The risk of type 2 diabetes increases as you get older, especially after age 45. That’s probably because people tend to exercise less, lose muscle mass and gain weight as they age. But type 2 diabetes is also increasing dramatically among children, adolescents and younger adults.
Prediabetes. Prediabetes is a condition in which your blood sugar level is higher than normal, but not high enough to be classified as diabetes. Left untreated, prediabetes often progresses to type 2 diabetes.
Gestational diabetes. If you developed gestational diabetes when you were pregnant, your risk of developing type 2 diabetes increases. If you gave birth to a baby weighing more than 9 pounds (4 kilograms), you’re also at risk of type 2 diabetes.
Polycystic ovarian syndrome. For women, having polycystic ovarian syndrome (a common condition characterized by irregular menstrual periods, excess hair growth and obesity) increases the risk of diabetes.
Areas of darkened skin, usually in the armpits and neck. This condition often indicates insulin resistance.

Prediabetes means you have a higher than normal blood sugar level. It’s not high enough to be considered type 2 diabetes yet, but without lifestyle changes, adults and children with prediabetes are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes.

Prediabetes doesn’t usually have any signs or symptoms. One possible sign of prediabetes is darkened skin on certain parts of the body. Affected areas can include the neck, armpits, elbows, knees and knuckles. Classic signs and symptoms that suggest you’ve moved from prediabetes to type 2 diabetes include: Increased thirst, Frequent urination, Excess hunger, Fatigue, Blurred vision
The exact cause of prediabetes is unknown. But family history and genetics appear to play an important role. A lack of regular physical activity and being overweight with excess fat around your abdomen also seem to be important factors.
What is clear is that people with prediabetes don’t process sugar (glucose) properly anymore. As a result, sugar builds up in the blood instead of doing its normal job of giving energy to the cells that make up muscles and other tissues.
Most of the glucose in your body comes from the food you eat. When food is digested, sugar enters your bloodstream. Moving sugar from your bloodstream to your body’s cells requires a hormone called insulin.
Insulin comes from a gland located behind the stomach called the pancreas. Your pancreas sends insulin to your blood when you eat.
As insulin circulates, it allows sugar to enter your cells and lowers the amount of sugar in your blood. When your blood sugar level starts to drop, the pancreas slows down the secretion of insulin into the blood.
When you have prediabetes, this process doesn’t work as well. Your pancreas may not make enough insulin or cells become resistant to insulin and don’t allow as much sugar in. So, instead of fueling your cells, sugar builds up in your bloodstream.
Eating healthy foods, making physical activity part of your daily routine and staying at a healthy weight can help bring your blood sugar level back to normal. The same lifestyle changes that can help prevent type 2 diabetes in adults might also help bring children’s blood sugar levels back to normal.

Waist size. A large waist size can indicate insulin resistance. The risk of insulin resistance goes up for men with waists larger than 40 inches and for women with waists larger than 35 inches.
Diet. Eating red meat and processed meat, and drinking sugar-sweetened beverages, is associated with a higher risk of prediabetes. A diet high in fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains and olive oil is associated with a lower risk of prediabetes.

Inactivity. The less active you are, the greater your risk of prediabetes. Physical activity helps you control your weight, uses up sugar for energy and makes the body use insulin more effectively.
Age. Although diabetes can develop at any age, the risk of prediabetes increases after age 45.
Family history. Your risk of prediabetes increases if you have a parent or sibling with type 2 diabetes.
Race. Although it’s unclear why, people of certain races (including African Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders) are more likely to develop prediabetes.
• Gestational diabetes. If you had diabetes while pregnant (gestational diabetes), you and your child are at higher risk of developing prediabetes. If you’ve had gestational diabetes, your doctor will likely check your blood sugar levels at least once every three years.

Polycystic ovary syndrome. Women with this common condition (characterized by irregular menstrual periods, excess hair growth and obesity) have a higher risk of prediabetes.
Sleep. People with obstructive sleep apnea) a condition that disrupts sleep repeatedly) have an increased risk of insulin resistance.
Tobacco smoke. Smoking may increase insulin resistance. Smokers also seem to carry more weight around the middle.
If you have prediabetes, the long-term damage of diabetes (especially to your heart, blood vessels and kidneys) may already be starting. There’s good news, however. Progression from prediabetes to type 2 diabetes is not inevitable.

Gestational diabetes is diabetes diagnosed for the first-time during pregnancy (gestation). Like other types of diabetes, gestational diabetes affects how your cells use sugar (glucose). Gestational diabetes causes high blood sugar that can affect your pregnancy and your baby’s health

For most women, gestational diabetes doesn’t cause noticeable signs or symptoms. Increased thirst and more-frequent urination are possible symptoms.
In women with gestational diabetes, blood sugar usually returns to normal soon after delivery. But if you’ve had gestational diabetes, you have a higher risk of getting type 2 diabetes. You’ll need to be tested for changes in blood sugar more often.
Some women have a greater risk of gestational diabetes. Risk factors for gestational diabetes include the following: Overweight and obesity., A lack of physical activity., Previous gestational diabetes or prediabetes., Polycystic ovary syndrome., Diabetes in an immediate family member., Previously delivering a baby weighing more than 9 pounds (4.1 kilograms)., Nonwhite race Women who are black, American Indian, Asian American and Pacific Islander and those of Hispanic descent have a higher risk of developing gestational diabetes.

Researchers don’t yet know why some women get gestational diabetes and others don’t. Excess weight before pregnancy often plays a role.
Normally, various hormones work to keep your blood sugar levels in check. But during pregnancy, hormone levels change, making it harder for your body to process blood sugar efficiently. This makes your blood sugar rise.

While any pregnancy complication is concerning, there’s good news. Expectant mothers can help control gestational diabetes by eating healthy foods, exercising and, if necessary, taking medication. Controlling blood sugar can keep you and your baby healthy and prevent a difficult delivery.