Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsType 1 vs. Type 2 DiabetesLADAMisdiagnosisInsulin DependencyFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Type 1 vs. Type 2 Diabetes
LADA
Misdiagnosis
Insulin Dependency
Frequently Asked Questions
Type 1 diabetesandtype 2 diabetesare separate conditions with unique causes. One condition cannot turn into the other.
This article willdistinguish between type 1 and type 2 diabetes. The role of insulin in disease manifestation and treatment will also be explored.
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Type 1 diabetesoccurs when a person’s immune system attacks and destroys insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. Beta cell loss occurs over weeks, months, or years, resulting in a total deficiency of insulin.
Pancreas and InsulinThepancreasis a small organ located behind your stomach. Beta cells in the pancreas makeinsulin, a hormone that helps move sugar into cells, where it’s converted into energy.
Pancreas and Insulin
Thepancreasis a small organ located behind your stomach. Beta cells in the pancreas makeinsulin, a hormone that helps move sugar into cells, where it’s converted into energy.
Type 2 diabetesis not an autoimmune disease. It develops slowly over time as a person’s body stops responding to insulin. Insulin production may decline as the condition progresses and the beta cells stop functioning.
While genetic factors contribute to type 2 diabetes, lifestyle factors, including poor diet, physical inactivity, and being overweight or having obesity, tend to play a more substantial role in disease manifestation.
Other differences between type 1 and type 2 diabetes include:
Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults (LADA)
LADAis a form of diabetes, sometimes called type 1.5 diabetes, as it shares type 1 and 2 diabetes features. LADA manifests after the age of 30 and accounts for 2% to 12% of all cases of diabetes in adults.
As seen in type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance may also be present in LADA. However, unlike type 2 diabetes, LADA is not associated with excess body weight or obesity.
Misdiagnosis of Type 1 or 2 Diabetes
No single blood test or formal criteria can differentiate between type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Instead, healthcare providers diagnose based on symptoms, medical history, and blood or urine test results.
A misdiagnosis is most likely to occur when the person’s age doesn’t match the disease’s typical age of onset, as in the case of LADA or adult-onset type 1 diabetes. It’s believed that as many as 50% of adults with type 1 diabetes might be initially misdiagnosed as having type 2 diabetes.
Conversely, type 2 diabetes in children can be mistaken for type 1 diabetes. Unfortunately, type 2 diabetes is becoming more prevalent in early life, as many children are overweight or have obesity.
Besides clinical features, various blood and urine tests can help distinguish between type 1 and type 2 diabetes. These tests include:
People have abnormally high blood glucose levels with both type 1 and 2 diabetes. However, the treatment for their high blood sugar levels (hyperglycemia) is different.
People with type 1 diabetes are dependent on insulin because they have no (or only a tiny amount of) beta cells to make insulin. Their body has destroyed them. As such, people with type 1 diabetes must be treated withinsulin shotsimmediately after diagnosis.
The treatment of type 2 diabetes focuses on lifestyle changes, notably weight loss. In some instances, medication to increase insulin release from the pancreas or lower insulin resistance may also be prescribed.
Insulin injections are generally advised in type 2 diabetes if blood sugars continue to be elevated despite lifestyle interventions and medication.
What Are the Barriers to Type 2 Diabetes Treatment?
Summary
Type 2 diabetes cannot turn into type 1 diabetes. They are separate conditions that differ in biology, onset, presentation, and management.
Type 1 diabetesis an autoimmune disease ofinsulin deficiencytypically diagnosed in early life. It requires immediate insulin replacement upon diagnosis.
Unfortunately, no single test or formal criteria exists to distinguish between type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Instead, healthcare providers utilize clinical features and various blood or urine tests to confirm the diagnosis.
A Word From Verywell
If you are diagnosed with type 1 or type 2 diabetes, it’s critical to follow through with your treatment plan. Both forms of diabetes can cause permanent damage to various organs in your body, including your kidneys and heart, if not appropriately managed.
It’s also essential to receive the correct diabetes diagnosis. In particular, a misdiagnosis of type 1 diabetes may have serious consequences, including developing a potentially life-threatening condition calleddiabetic ketoacidosis. This condition occurs when the body produces toxic acids calledketonesdue to insulin deficiency and high blood sugar.
Frequently Asked QuestionsType 2 diabetes cannot be cured or reversed permanently. However, you can achieve remission (when your hemoglobin A1c remains below 6.5% for at least three months).The timeline for remission depends on several factors, including diabetes severity and duration and adherence to your treatment plan. In one study, weight loss was the strongest predictor of type 2 diabetes remission.Learn MoreHow to Reverse Type 2 Diabetes?Type 2 diabetes is generally less severe than type 1 diabetes. However, both can lead to serious complications involving vital organs like the kidneys and heart.Learn MoreManaging and Preventing Complications of DiabetesYes. Around 50% of people withgestational diabetes(a type of diabetes that starts during pregnancy) will develop type 2 diabetes. Maintaining a healthy body weight can help lower this risk.Learn MoreManaging Gestational Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes cannot be cured or reversed permanently. However, you can achieve remission (when your hemoglobin A1c remains below 6.5% for at least three months).The timeline for remission depends on several factors, including diabetes severity and duration and adherence to your treatment plan. In one study, weight loss was the strongest predictor of type 2 diabetes remission.Learn MoreHow to Reverse Type 2 Diabetes?
Type 2 diabetes cannot be cured or reversed permanently. However, you can achieve remission (when your hemoglobin A1c remains below 6.5% for at least three months).The timeline for remission depends on several factors, including diabetes severity and duration and adherence to your treatment plan. In one study, weight loss was the strongest predictor of type 2 diabetes remission.
Type 2 diabetes cannot be cured or reversed permanently. However, you can achieve remission (when your hemoglobin A1c remains below 6.5% for at least three months).
The timeline for remission depends on several factors, including diabetes severity and duration and adherence to your treatment plan. In one study, weight loss was the strongest predictor of type 2 diabetes remission.
Learn MoreHow to Reverse Type 2 Diabetes?
Type 2 diabetes is generally less severe than type 1 diabetes. However, both can lead to serious complications involving vital organs like the kidneys and heart.Learn MoreManaging and Preventing Complications of Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes is generally less severe than type 1 diabetes. However, both can lead to serious complications involving vital organs like the kidneys and heart.
Learn MoreManaging and Preventing Complications of Diabetes
Yes. Around 50% of people withgestational diabetes(a type of diabetes that starts during pregnancy) will develop type 2 diabetes. Maintaining a healthy body weight can help lower this risk.Learn MoreManaging Gestational Diabetes
Yes. Around 50% of people withgestational diabetes(a type of diabetes that starts during pregnancy) will develop type 2 diabetes. Maintaining a healthy body weight can help lower this risk.
Learn MoreManaging Gestational Diabetes
13 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Rewers M, Ludvigsson J.Environmental risk factors for type 1 diabetes.Lancet. 2016;387(10035):2340-2348. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(16)30507-4Galaviz KI, Weber MB, Suvada K, et al.Interventions for reversing prediabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Am J Prev Med. 2022;62(4):614-625. doi:10.1016/j.amepre.2021.10.020Xu G, Liu B, Sun Y, et al.Prevalence of diagnosed type 1 and type 2 diabetes among US adults in 2016 and 2017: population based study.BMJ. 2018;362:k1497. doi:10.1136/bmj.k1497Astudillo M, Tosur M, Castillo B, et al.Type 2 diabetes in prepubertal children.Pediatr Diabetes. 2021;22(7):946-950. doi:10.1111/pedi.13254American Diabetes Association.Understanding type 1 diabetes.Pozzilli P, Pieralice S.Latent autoimmune diabetes in adults: current status and new horizons.Endocrinol Metab (Seoul). 2018;33(2):147-159. doi:10.3803/EnM.2018.33.2.147Pan N, Yang S, Niu X.Latent autoimmune diabetes in adults and metabolic syndrome-a mini review.Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2022;13:913373. doi:10.3389/fendo.2022.913373Van der Schueren B, Ellis D, Faradji RN, et al.Obesity in people living with type 1 diabetes.Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol. 2021;9(11):776-785. doi:10.1016/S2213-8587(21)00246-1Pilla SJ, Maruthur NM, Schweitzer MA, et al.The role of laboratory testing in differentiating type 1 diabetes from type 2 diabetes in patients undergoing bariatric surgery.Obes Surg. 2018;28(1):25-30. doi:10.1007/s11695-017-2804-5Elzahar W, Arafa A, Youssef A, Erfan A, El Amrousy D.Urinary C-peptide creatinine ratio to differentiate type 2 diabetes mellitus from type 1 in pediatric patients.Eur J Pediatr. 2020;179(7):1115-1120. doi:10.1007/s00431-020-03606-7Cantley J, Ashcroft FM.Q&A: insulin secretion and type 2 diabetes: why do β-cells fail?BMC Biol. 2015;13:33. doi:10.1186/s12915-015-0140-6Thom G, Messow CM, Leslie WS, et al.Predictors of type 2 diabetes remission in the Diabetes Remission Clinical Trial (DiRECT).Diabet Med. 2021 Aug;38(8):e14395. doi:10.1111/dme.14395Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Gestational diabetes.
13 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Rewers M, Ludvigsson J.Environmental risk factors for type 1 diabetes.Lancet. 2016;387(10035):2340-2348. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(16)30507-4Galaviz KI, Weber MB, Suvada K, et al.Interventions for reversing prediabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Am J Prev Med. 2022;62(4):614-625. doi:10.1016/j.amepre.2021.10.020Xu G, Liu B, Sun Y, et al.Prevalence of diagnosed type 1 and type 2 diabetes among US adults in 2016 and 2017: population based study.BMJ. 2018;362:k1497. doi:10.1136/bmj.k1497Astudillo M, Tosur M, Castillo B, et al.Type 2 diabetes in prepubertal children.Pediatr Diabetes. 2021;22(7):946-950. doi:10.1111/pedi.13254American Diabetes Association.Understanding type 1 diabetes.Pozzilli P, Pieralice S.Latent autoimmune diabetes in adults: current status and new horizons.Endocrinol Metab (Seoul). 2018;33(2):147-159. doi:10.3803/EnM.2018.33.2.147Pan N, Yang S, Niu X.Latent autoimmune diabetes in adults and metabolic syndrome-a mini review.Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2022;13:913373. doi:10.3389/fendo.2022.913373Van der Schueren B, Ellis D, Faradji RN, et al.Obesity in people living with type 1 diabetes.Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol. 2021;9(11):776-785. doi:10.1016/S2213-8587(21)00246-1Pilla SJ, Maruthur NM, Schweitzer MA, et al.The role of laboratory testing in differentiating type 1 diabetes from type 2 diabetes in patients undergoing bariatric surgery.Obes Surg. 2018;28(1):25-30. doi:10.1007/s11695-017-2804-5Elzahar W, Arafa A, Youssef A, Erfan A, El Amrousy D.Urinary C-peptide creatinine ratio to differentiate type 2 diabetes mellitus from type 1 in pediatric patients.Eur J Pediatr. 2020;179(7):1115-1120. doi:10.1007/s00431-020-03606-7Cantley J, Ashcroft FM.Q&A: insulin secretion and type 2 diabetes: why do β-cells fail?BMC Biol. 2015;13:33. doi:10.1186/s12915-015-0140-6Thom G, Messow CM, Leslie WS, et al.Predictors of type 2 diabetes remission in the Diabetes Remission Clinical Trial (DiRECT).Diabet Med. 2021 Aug;38(8):e14395. doi:10.1111/dme.14395Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Gestational diabetes.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Rewers M, Ludvigsson J.Environmental risk factors for type 1 diabetes.Lancet. 2016;387(10035):2340-2348. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(16)30507-4Galaviz KI, Weber MB, Suvada K, et al.Interventions for reversing prediabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Am J Prev Med. 2022;62(4):614-625. doi:10.1016/j.amepre.2021.10.020Xu G, Liu B, Sun Y, et al.Prevalence of diagnosed type 1 and type 2 diabetes among US adults in 2016 and 2017: population based study.BMJ. 2018;362:k1497. doi:10.1136/bmj.k1497Astudillo M, Tosur M, Castillo B, et al.Type 2 diabetes in prepubertal children.Pediatr Diabetes. 2021;22(7):946-950. doi:10.1111/pedi.13254American Diabetes Association.Understanding type 1 diabetes.Pozzilli P, Pieralice S.Latent autoimmune diabetes in adults: current status and new horizons.Endocrinol Metab (Seoul). 2018;33(2):147-159. doi:10.3803/EnM.2018.33.2.147Pan N, Yang S, Niu X.Latent autoimmune diabetes in adults and metabolic syndrome-a mini review.Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2022;13:913373. doi:10.3389/fendo.2022.913373Van der Schueren B, Ellis D, Faradji RN, et al.Obesity in people living with type 1 diabetes.Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol. 2021;9(11):776-785. doi:10.1016/S2213-8587(21)00246-1Pilla SJ, Maruthur NM, Schweitzer MA, et al.The role of laboratory testing in differentiating type 1 diabetes from type 2 diabetes in patients undergoing bariatric surgery.Obes Surg. 2018;28(1):25-30. doi:10.1007/s11695-017-2804-5Elzahar W, Arafa A, Youssef A, Erfan A, El Amrousy D.Urinary C-peptide creatinine ratio to differentiate type 2 diabetes mellitus from type 1 in pediatric patients.Eur J Pediatr. 2020;179(7):1115-1120. doi:10.1007/s00431-020-03606-7Cantley J, Ashcroft FM.Q&A: insulin secretion and type 2 diabetes: why do β-cells fail?BMC Biol. 2015;13:33. doi:10.1186/s12915-015-0140-6Thom G, Messow CM, Leslie WS, et al.Predictors of type 2 diabetes remission in the Diabetes Remission Clinical Trial (DiRECT).Diabet Med. 2021 Aug;38(8):e14395. doi:10.1111/dme.14395Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Gestational diabetes.
Rewers M, Ludvigsson J.Environmental risk factors for type 1 diabetes.Lancet. 2016;387(10035):2340-2348. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(16)30507-4
Galaviz KI, Weber MB, Suvada K, et al.Interventions for reversing prediabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Am J Prev Med. 2022;62(4):614-625. doi:10.1016/j.amepre.2021.10.020
Xu G, Liu B, Sun Y, et al.Prevalence of diagnosed type 1 and type 2 diabetes among US adults in 2016 and 2017: population based study.BMJ. 2018;362:k1497. doi:10.1136/bmj.k1497
Astudillo M, Tosur M, Castillo B, et al.Type 2 diabetes in prepubertal children.Pediatr Diabetes. 2021;22(7):946-950. doi:10.1111/pedi.13254
American Diabetes Association.Understanding type 1 diabetes.
Pozzilli P, Pieralice S.Latent autoimmune diabetes in adults: current status and new horizons.Endocrinol Metab (Seoul). 2018;33(2):147-159. doi:10.3803/EnM.2018.33.2.147
Pan N, Yang S, Niu X.Latent autoimmune diabetes in adults and metabolic syndrome-a mini review.Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2022;13:913373. doi:10.3389/fendo.2022.913373
Van der Schueren B, Ellis D, Faradji RN, et al.Obesity in people living with type 1 diabetes.Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol. 2021;9(11):776-785. doi:10.1016/S2213-8587(21)00246-1
Pilla SJ, Maruthur NM, Schweitzer MA, et al.The role of laboratory testing in differentiating type 1 diabetes from type 2 diabetes in patients undergoing bariatric surgery.Obes Surg. 2018;28(1):25-30. doi:10.1007/s11695-017-2804-5
Elzahar W, Arafa A, Youssef A, Erfan A, El Amrousy D.Urinary C-peptide creatinine ratio to differentiate type 2 diabetes mellitus from type 1 in pediatric patients.Eur J Pediatr. 2020;179(7):1115-1120. doi:10.1007/s00431-020-03606-7
Cantley J, Ashcroft FM.Q&A: insulin secretion and type 2 diabetes: why do β-cells fail?BMC Biol. 2015;13:33. doi:10.1186/s12915-015-0140-6
Thom G, Messow CM, Leslie WS, et al.Predictors of type 2 diabetes remission in the Diabetes Remission Clinical Trial (DiRECT).Diabet Med. 2021 Aug;38(8):e14395. doi:10.1111/dme.14395
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Gestational diabetes.
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