Myths & Facts

Myths about Type 1 Diabetes

• Diabetes starts after eating too much sugar. False. T1D is an auto-immune disorder where the body attacks the beta cells that produce insulin.
• T1D can be reversed with diet and exercise. False. There is no cure for T1D. It must be managed with insulin injections. Without insulin, diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) poisons the body. DKA was the primary cause of death prior to the development of insulin 100 years ago.
• Insulin pumps & glucose monitors completely control T1D. False. Medical technology is a great advantage, but living with T1D requires constant monitoring. What controls blood glucose one day might not do so the next.

Health Facts About Type 1 Diabetes

• Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness in adults under age 65
• T1D is the second most common chronic illness in children (asthma is #1)
  *Medical costs for people with diabetes are twice that of others
• Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the USA

Please contribute to JDRF and join us in seeking advances in the treatment of T1D. Thanks.