--- title: "The Difference Between Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes | Sutter Health" description: "What is the difference between type 1 and type 2 diabetes?" url: "/ask-an-expert/answers/the-difference-between-type-1-type-2-diabetes-1051061374" --- 1. Home / 2. The Difference Between Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes # The Difference Between Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes * * * Medically reviewed by - Joyce Giammattei, DrPH, RD, CDE ## Question What is the difference between type 1 and type 2 diabetes? ## Answer In type 1 diabetes, the body does not produce insulin. Only 5-10 percent of people with diabetes have this form of the disease. Type 1 diabetes is usually diagnosed in children and young adults, and was previously known as juvenile diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is caused by genetics and other unknown factors that trigger the onset of the disease. In type 2 diabetes, either the body does not produce enough insulin or the cells become resistant to the insulin. Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes. It occurs in about 90-95 percent of all cases of diabetes. It was previously known as adult onset diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is caused by genetics and lifestyle factors. Using insulin does not mean you have type 1 or "the bad type of diabetes". People with type 2 diabetes may also be using insulin to manage their blood sugar. There is no such thing as the "good" or "bad" type of diabetes. Both types of diabetes greatly increase a person's risk of developing complications if blood sugars are not well controlled. ## Explore related topics Diabetes ## Related questions View all questions - Health Q&A ### Are artificial sweeteners safe to use? Are artificial sweeteners safe to use? - Health Q&A ### Avocados: Healthy Fat for Diabetics? I had my gall bladder removed last year. I'm also diabetic. I know I'm supposed to eat low-fat foods. I know avocados contain healthy fat. 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View all questions ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"MedicalOrganization","name":"Sutter Health","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/#medicalorganization","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org","logo":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/static/images/sutter-health-logo.svg","address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","streetAddress":"2200 River Plaza Drive","addressLocality":"Sacramento","addressRegion":"CA","postalCode":"95833","addressCountry":"US"},"areaServed":{"@type":"AdministrativeArea","name":"California"},"sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/SutterHealth","https://www.instagram.com/sutterhealth/","https://x.com/SutterHealth","https://www.youtube.com/sutterhealth","https://www.linkedin.com/company/sutter-health","https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sutter_Health"]} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/ask-an-expert/answers/the-difference-between-type-1-type-2-diabetes-1051061374#breadcrumblist","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"The Difference Between Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes"}]} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"MedicalWebPage","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/ask-an-expert/answers/the-difference-between-type-1-type-2-diabetes-1051061374#medicalwebpage","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/ask-an-expert/answers/the-difference-between-type-1-type-2-diabetes-1051061374","name":"The Difference Between Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes","description":"In type 1 diabetes, the body does not produce insulin. 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Type 1 diabetes is usually diagnosed in children and young adults, and was previously known as juvenile diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is caused by genetics and other unknown factors that trigger the onset of the disease. In type 2 diabetes, either the body does not produce enough insulin or the cells become resistant to the insulin. Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes. It occurs in about 90-95 percent of all cases of diabetes. It was previously known as adult onset diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is caused by genetics and lifestyle factors. Using insulin does not mean you have type 1 or \"the bad type of diabetes\". People with type 2 diabetes may also be using insulin to manage their blood sugar. There is no such thing as the \"good\" or \"bad\" type of diabetes. 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