The number of new cases of type 1 diabetes in the US is increasing at an alarming rate, according to latest government figures.
The data, published in a new report from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), shows that over the last 10 years, there has been a 23 per cent rise in type 1 diabetes, which is usually diagnosed in kids and young adults.
Dr. Betul Hatipoglu, of the Cleveland Clinic, said what’s even more frightening is that doctors are not sure of the reasons behind this increase as the exact mechanisms for development of type 1 diabetes are unknown.
“Of course, there is a genetic predisposition, but the rise is in many different countries, so genes are not enough to explain this increase,” Dr. Hatipoglu commented.
Rising prevalence of type 2 diabetes in the US is well documented, but these latest figures suggest the type 1 form of the disease is also becoming a major problem for doctors and health authorities.
Type 1 diabetes is a lifelong autoimmune disease that occurs when the body’s immune system attacks and destroys certain cells in the pancreas that produce the hormone insulin, which is responsible for controlling blood glucose levels. Exactly what triggers the immune system to behave this way is not yet understood.
Also known as insulin-dependant diabetes, it is less common than type 2 diabetes, accounting for just 5 per cent of all diabetes cases worldwide.
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