Diabetes is a common life-long health condition and there are two main types of diabetes - Type 1 and Type 2. There are 2.9 million people diagnosed with diabetes in the UK and an estimated 850,000 people who have the condition but don’t know it.
Diabetes is a condition where the amount of glucose in your blood is too high because the body cannot use it properly. Type 1 diabetes develops when the insulin-producing cells in the body have been destroyed and the body is unable to produce any insulin.
Type 2 diabetes develops when the body can still make some insulin, but not enough, or when the insulin that is produced does not work properly (known as insulin resistance).
Insulin is the key that unlocks the door to the body’s cells. Once the door is unlocked glucose can enter the cells where it is used as fuel.
If you think you have diabetes, but would like to know more about the condition – or you are unsure which type of diabetes you have – we can help.
Here, you'll find information on the different types of diabetes and the treatments available. We also have support on coming to terms with diagnosis, monitoring your health and advice on getting the best out of your NHS healthcare team.