According to the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse, diabetes is a disease that causes high levels of blood sugar due to a lack of insulin production, or an inability of the body to properly use the insulin it has. Three main types of diabetes exist, all of which have different characteristics and symptoms. If left untreated, all types can lead to serious complications and may even be fatal.
Type 1 Diabetes
According to the American Diabetes Association, only 5 percent to 10 percent of people with diabetes have Type I. Previously known as juvenile diabetes, it's most commonly diagnosed in children and young adults.
This type of diabetes is referred to as an autoimmune disease because the body's immune system attacks and destroys the cells that produce insulin. Those who suffer from this type must be injected, or inject themselves with, insulin multiple times a day to maintain healthy blood sugar levels.
Symptoms of Type I diabetes include increased thirst and urination, weight loss, extreme fatigue, increased hunger and weight loss. A cause for this form of diabetes has not definitively determined, but it's speculated that genetic and environmental factors may be to blame.
Type 2 Diabetes
Considered the most common form of diabetes, Type 2 affects 90 percent to 95 percent of those diagnosed with this disease. According to the American Diabetes Association, it's more prevalent among African and Native Americans, Latinos, Asian Americans, Hawaiian Americans, Pacific Islanders and elderly people.
Diabetics with Type 2 either don't produce enough insulin, or their cells are insulin resistant, meaning they block the insulin that's produced. Unlike those with Type 1 diabetes, insulin may not be needed immediately. Many with Type 2 can effectively control their blood sugar levels with a healthy diet and exercise regimen. However, regular insulin treatment may be required later in life.
Type II diabetes also has a number of known causes, unlike Type I. These include obesity, a family history of the disease, age, ethnicity and physical inactivity. According to The Los Angeles Chinese Learning Center, 80 percent of persons with Type II diabetes are overweight.
Symptoms of this form include fatigue, frequent urination, weight loss, frequent infections, wounds or sores that heal slowly, nausea, unusual thirst and blurred vision. These symptoms typically have a slow onset, developing gradually. In some cases, no symptoms are present.
Gestational Diabetes
Gestational diabetes is a type of diabetes that only occurs during pregnancy. As stated by the American Diabetes Association, it typically begins at the 28th week of pregnancy or later and ends with delivery. It tends to occur more frequently in women with a family history of diabetes. Ethnicity is another factor, as African Americans, Hispanic Americans and Native Americans are at an increased risk, according to the Los Angeles Chinese Learning Center.
Though this type of diabetes usually ends, women who suffer from it during pregnancy have a 20 percent to 50 percent chance of developing Type 2 diabetes within 5 to 10 years.
