Diabetes Type 1 and 2 – what’s the difference?

If there is Type 1 diabetes in your family, you do have a slightly increased risk of developing it as well.  But Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition where your body has attacked its own cells, in this case the insulin producing cells.  So there's nothing you can do to prevent it.  However, there are a number of risk factors for Type 2 diabetes, and these include being white and over 40 or black or South Asian and over 25.  Also having a close family member with Type 2 diabetes, for example a parent, brother or sister, is a risk factor, as is being overweight or having a large waist.  More than 31½ inches for women for example, more than 37 inches for white or black men or over 35 for South Asian men.

Now the symptoms of diabetes are typically of passing urine frequently, feeling very thirsty, extreme tiredness, wait loss, blurred vision and regular episodes of thrush or genital itching.  There might also be slow healing of cuts or grazes.  Now with Type 1 diabetes these symptoms come on very quickly, usually over a few weeks.  But in Type 2 they're not so obvious, and you can very easily put them down to getting on a bit.  And sometimes people with Type 2 diabetes don't have any symptoms at all.

So the only way to definitely diagnose diabetes is to go to your GP for a blood test.