TYPE 1 AND TYPE 2…

What’s the difference?

Losing just 5% of your body weight can have a positive impact.

Type 1

• is an auto-immune condition caused by a combination of genetics and unknown factors. It accounts for 10 per cent of all diabetes, and occurs when the body’s immune system destroys the cells in the pancreas that produce insulin, the hormone that’s vital for converting glucose into energy. People living with type 1 diabetes need to use insulin to reduce the level of glucose circulating in their blood.

Type 2

• is caused by a combination of genetics and lifestyle factors. It accounts for 85-90 per cent of all diabetes, and is a progressive condition where the body becomes resistant to the normal effects of insulin, or where the pancreas slowly loses its ability to produce enough of the hormone – both of which leave too much glucose in the blood. Lifestyle modifications or medication (and sometimes both) are used to manage type 2 diabetes.