While type 1 and type 2 diabetes are similar in the fact that they impact the lives of millions of people and require a lifelong commitment to controlling blood sugar, their main difference occurs in what causes each type of diabetes to develop.

Type 1 Diabetes

The primary cause of type 1 diabetes is that the pancreas cannot produce enough insulin, which is a hormone that is necessary for the body to produce energy in the form of glucose, or sugar. This form of diabetes most commonly is diagnosed in individuals before they reach the age of 20, although much like type 2 diabetes, it can arise at any age. Treatment consists of maintaining a healthy blood sugar mostly through insulin injections and eating a healthy diet.

Type 2 Diabetes

In type 2 diabetes, the pancreas does secrete insulin but the amount that it produces is simply not enough for the body to convert to energy, or the cells are not able to use the insulin that is being produced and become resistant to it. In a similar manner to type 1 diabetes, there is no cure for type 2 diabetes, but it can be controlled and managed by maintaining a healthy weight, eating a healthy diet, monitoring blood sugar and, for some individuals, use of insulin injections.