Type 1 diabetes, which used to be called insulin-dependent or juvenile diabetes, is a chronic disease that destroys the body's ability to make insulin, a hormone used to break down and store energy (in the form of glucose or "sugar") from foods. Without insulin, high levels of fat and glucose remain in the bloodstream, which can damage blood vessels and vital organs over time.

Scientists do not know exactly what causes type 1 diabetes, but they believe that a combination of genetic and environmental factors are to blame. Diabetes is an autoimmune disease. This means that the immune system, which normally ignores healthy cells but destroys germs and foreign substances that could cause illness, mistakenly launches an attack on the body itself - in this case destroying insulin producing islet cells in the pancreas. People may develop type 1 diabetes at any age, but it is frequently diagnosed before adulthood. It accounts for about 5%-10% of all diabetes cases, and affects approximately one in every 400 to 500 children in the U.S.

Type 1 Diabetes Research

People who live with type 1 diabetes must monitor and maintain their own blood glucose level through a combination of insulin, diet and exercise. Keeping blood glucose levels within a normal range is very important because poor glucose control is associated with an increased risk of serious complications including damage to blood vessels (vascular complications) which may lead to eye, heart and kidney disease.