Patient guide · Diabetes · 2 min read

Types Of Diabetes

Answers to common questions about types of diabetes.

Questions on this page

How many types of diabetes are there?

Diabetes is not just Type 1 and Type 2.

Important types include:

The correct classification is important because treatment can be very different between different types of diabetes. Diabetes Journals Reference

Type 1 diabetes occurs when the immune system destroys the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas.

People with Type 1 diabetes need insulin treatment.

Type 2 diabetes usually develops because the body becomes resistant to insulin and, over time, the pancreas may not produce enough insulin.

It is the most common type of diabetes.

LADA means Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults.

It is an autoimmune form of diabetes that develops gradually in adults and may initially look like Type 2 diabetes.

Some people who appear to have Type 2 diabetes can develop severe insulin deficiency and ketosis or diabetic ketoacidosis.

This is called ketosis-prone diabetes.

MODY is a form of diabetes caused by a change in a single gene.

It often runs through several generations of a family.

Diabetes can occur when the pancreas is damaged by conditions such as chronic pancreatitis, pancreatic surgery or other pancreatic diseases.

Steroid medicines such as prednisolone can increase blood glucose.

Some people develop diabetes while taking steroids, while steroids can worsen existing diabetes in others.