Type 1 diabetes life expectancy

Facts and figures

What the latest reports of the IDF (or as it is more commonly known the International Diabetes Federation) have shown is that as much as 285 million people worldwide are befallen by this fairly complicated and severe in nature ailment. However, even more concerning are the predictions that imply that, by the end of 2030, the number of cases will increase even more and ultimately reach a staggering number of 435 million people worldwide. Having in mind the varieties of diabetes, it should be pointed out to the fact that the greatest majority of cases involves type 2 diabetes, but the number of those people suffering from type 1 diabetes is not to be neglected either. In addition, a number of official research studies has revealed that as many as 1 in every 500 children/adolescents is befallen by the type 1 diabetes.

The variety of diabetes marked as type one is also known under the name of juvenile diabetes. It represents a specific variety of diabetes, which is characterized by the destruction of the beta cells, located in the individual's pancreas. These, as is already known, are responsible for insulin production by the immune system itself. What the annihilation of the beta cells further induces is, of course, deficiency in insulin, essential to the body as a vital constituent in the process of conversion of glucose to energy.

Manifestations and indicators

As far as those most frequent indicative manifestations are concerned, they include such as the polyuria, dehydration, loss of weight, blurred vision, excessive fatigue, intensive hunger and also thirst.

Unfortunately, there has not yet been discovered a method or a technique that would enable reversal of the damage brought on the pancreatic cells. However, a person can bring the condition under control with the help of healthy lifestyle and necessary changes, particularly those regarding the diet and control of the amount of carbs one takes in on a daily basis, as well as by tracking regularly the levels of glucose in one's blood and by undergoing an insulin replacement therapy.

The big question

When it comes to any ailment serious in nature, each person is keen on knowing what the time limits are, i.e. how long one is expected to live with the illness troubling him and his body. As stated in the paragraphs above, this specific variety of diabetes is more frequent in children, adolescents and teenagers. As researchers, scientists and experts point out, the life expectancy primarily depends on the age at which an individual is diagnosed with it.