Diabetes: Types, Symptoms, and Living with the Condition
Diabetes is a group of chronic metabolic diseases in which the body cannot
properly regulate blood glucose (sugar) levels because of insufficient insulin or reduced sensitivity
to it. According to the World Health Organization, around 830 million adults worldwide were living
with diabetes as of 2022 — roughly one in seven adults on the planet.
DiabetInfo is a purely informational project. Content is based on Wikipedia,
the WHO, the IDF Diabetes Atlas, the CDC, and the Mayo Clinic. This site does not provide medical
advice and does not replace a doctor's evaluation — see the disclaimer for details.
830M
adults worldwide have diabetes (WHO, 2022) — twice as many as in 1990
1 in 9
adults aged 20–79 live with diabetes, per the IDF Diabetes Atlas (2025)
>90%
of all diabetes cases worldwide are type 2 diabetes
~43%
of people with diabetes worldwide don't even know they have it (IDF,
2025)
Types of Diabetes
The term "diabetes" covers several distinct conditions with different causes —
from the autoimmune destruction of pancreatic cells to insulin resistance linked to lifestyle factors.
Type 1 Diabetes
Autoimmune destruction of insulin-producing cells. Requires lifelong
insulin therapy.
Type 2 Diabetes
Insulin resistance and relative insulin deficiency. Over 90% of all
diabetes cases worldwide.
Prediabetes
An intermediate state with elevated but not yet diabetic glucose levels.
Often reversible.
Gestational Diabetes
A rise in blood glucose that occurs during pregnancy due to hormonal
changes.
About the Condition
How to recognize the early signs, why diabetes develops, how it's diagnosed,
and what complications it can cause.
Symptoms
Thirst, frequent urination, fatigue, and other early signs that are easy
to miss.
Causes & Risk Factors
Genetics, autoimmune mechanisms, weight, lifestyle — what actually raises
the risk.
Diagnosis
HbA1c, fasting glucose, the oral glucose tolerance test — how doctors
confirm the diagnosis.
Complications
From hypoglycemia to retinopathy and cardiovascular disease — acute and
chronic effects.
Prevention
What research says about reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Insulin Types
Rapid-, short-, intermediate-, long-acting ("basal"), and mixed insulin —
how they differ.
Glucometers
How blood glucose meters work and how CGM differs from a regular
glucometer.
Nutrition & Bread Units
Practical tools and general information about nutrition related to diabetes.
Diabetes Nutrition
Carb counting, the glycemic index, and the plate method — an overview.
Bread Unit
What a bread unit (BU) is and why it's used to estimate carbs in food.
Bread Unit Table
Bread unit content in grains, fruits, vegetables, and prepared foods.
Bread Unit Calculator
Quickly calculate bread units from a food's weight.