Type 1 diabetes facts and figures

Facts about type 1 diabetes

• There is currently no cure for T1D, and its exact cause isn’t known.¹
• T1D is a chronic auto-immune condition in which the pancreas produces little or no insulin by itself.²
• It’s been found that 90% of people living with T1D have no family history of the condition, but having a family history does put people at higher risk of developing T1D.³
• T1D was once known as juvenile diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes.⁴ (This is where JDRF gets its name, as JDRF is an acronym for Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.)

Type 1 diabetes statistics in Australia

• The T1D community in Australia is made up of 130,000+ people.⁵
• Every year, over 2900 children and adults are newly diagnosed with T1D.⁶
• About eight people are diagnosed with T1D every day in Australia, and half are adults.⁷
• Currently, T1D accounts for 9% of all diabetes in Australia.⁸
• There’s a similar incidence rate of T1D among Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.⁹

Facts about type 1 diabetes in children

• T1D is one of the most common chronic childhood conditions.¹⁰
  
• For kids, the symptoms usually come on very quickly and are quite obvious, while in adults, the onset is slower.¹¹
  
• While T1D can develop at any age, it’s more commonly diagnosed in younger people. More than 50% of those diagnosed with T1D in Australia are aged under 25.¹²
  
• The peak age group of T1D diagnosis is 10–14 years old – more than 2 times the rate at 20–24 years old.¹³
  
• There’s a fairly even split between girls and boys who are diagnosed with T1D.¹⁴
• As of 2018, more than two-thirds (67%) of children and young adults living with T1D were aged 15–24 years.¹⁵

If you’re new to a T1D diagnosis for yourself or someone you love, it’s normal to feel overwhelmed with information. But please remember that you’re not alone, and there’s a huge support network available to you.

You may also be interested in:

• Frequently asked T1D questions
• What is type 1 diabetes?
• Support for parents and carers of children and teens living with T1D
• Support for adults living with T1D