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What is type 1 diabetes?

Type 1 diabetes causes the level of glucose (sugar) in your blood to become too high.

It happens when your body cannot produce a hormone called insulin, which controls blood glucose.

You need to take insulin every day to keep your blood glucose levels under control.

Managing type 1 diabetes can take time to get used to, but you can still do all the things you enjoy. This guide is here to help.

Type 1 diabetes is not linked with age or being overweight – these things are linked with type 2 diabetes.

Page last reviewed: 14 July 2021
Next review due: 14 July 2024