Type 1 diabetes was once called juvenile onset diabetes. It is now called Type 1 diabetes or insulin dependent diabetes. In Type 1 diabetes, the pancreas does not produce insulin, and insulin is always needed for treatment. The cause of Type 1 and ways to prevent it are unknown. Symptoms usually develop quickly. Type 1 diabetes is typically diagnosed in children or young adults; however, it can be diagnosed at any age.
Type 2 diabetes is when you cannot properly use insulin. The pancreas makes insulin, but cells become more resistant. The pancreas produces less insulin over time. For the most part, type 2 diabetes is preventable. It may develop over many years, and you may not notice any symptoms, so testing is important.
Prediabetes is when a person as higher blood sugar levels than normal, but not high enough to be diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. Often there are no symptoms, but individuals may notice darkening of the skin on the neck, armpits, or groin. Lifestyle changes may prevent prediabetes from developing into Type 2 diabetes. More than 1 in 3 adults in the U.S. have prediabetes.
Gestational diabetes develops in pregnant women who have not previously had diabetes. It is diagnosed through prenatal screening, rather than through reported symptoms. Gestational diabetes usually goes away after the baby is born. Those with gestational diabetes are an increased risk of Type 2 diabetes in the future and complications during pregnancy and delivery. Your baby is at an increased risk for obesity later in life as well developing Type 2 diabetes.
