Written by Medibank
March 2025
Type 1 diabetes represents about 10 per cent of all cases of diabetes. It can develop suddenly in children and is one of the most common chronic childhood conditions in Australia. It can also develop, usually more slowly, in adults.
What is type 1 diabetes?
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition where the pancreas stops producing insulin, the hormone that controls your blood glucose (sugar) levels. The exact cause is unknown, and the disease can’t be prevented by changes in your lifestyle.
What are type 1 diabetes symptoms?
The signs and symptoms of type 1 diabetes may occur relatively suddenly in children, and slower in adults. Here are some warning signs to look out for:
- feeling excessively thirsty
- urinating more often
- feeling hungry all the time
- feeling tired or lethargic
- losing weight for no reason
- blurred vision or feeling dizzy
- mood swings
- slow-healing wounds, itching and skin infections
- headaches
- leg cramps.
If you or a loved one is experiencing these symptoms, see your doctor as soon as possible.
How to manage type 1 diabetes
Although there is no cure for type 1 diabetes, it can be managed through a combination of medication (insulin injections or an insulin pump), regularly monitoring blood glucose levels, healthy diet, and exercise. This helps keep blood glucose levels within the right range and prevent very high or very low levels, both of which are dangerous.
What is the difference between type 1 and type 2 diabetes?
Type 1 diabetes is much less common than type 2 diabetes. It accounts for about one in 10 diabetes cases in Australia1. While both are chronic diseases that affect the way your body regulates blood glucose levels, there are some key differences.
Type 1 diabetes is a life-threatening condition that needs to be closely managed with daily care, involving insulin replacement. Type 2 is more of a progressive condition that can often be initially managed through diet, exercise and other lifestyle changes. However, over time, people with type 2 diabetes may require medication to manage their blood glucose levels.
Learn more about the differences between the two conditions.
Looking for something else?
Visit our type 2 diabetes hub for more information.
Read more about type 2 diabetes
Things you need to know
1 Diabetes Australia, Diabetes in Australia; retrieved 14 January 2025.
While we hope you find this information helpful, please note that it is general in nature. It is not health advice, and is not tailored to meet your individual health needs. You should always consult a trusted health professional before making decisions about your health care. While we have prepared the information carefully, we can’t guarantee that it is accurate, complete or up-to-date. And while we may mention goods or services provided by others, we aren’t specifically endorsing them and can’t accept responsibility for them. For these reasons we are unable to accept responsibility for any loss that may be sustained from acting on this information (subject to applicable consumer guarantees).