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 autoimmune condition in which the pancreas produces little or no insulin by itself.1
- People can be diagnosed with T1D at any age.1
- 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.2
- T1D was once known as juvenile diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes.3 (This is where JDRF gets its name, as JDRF is an acronym for Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.)
Type 1 diabetes statistics in Australia
- More than 130,000 Australians live with T1D.4
- Currently, T1D accounts for around 10% of all diabetes in Australia.4
- Every year, around 3000 children and adults are newly diagnosed with T1D.5
- About eight people are diagnosed with T1D every day in Australia.5
- Around 88% of people living with T1D in Australia are 21 years old or older.6
- Men are slightly (1.3 times) more likely to be diagnosed with T1D than women.7
- Indigenous Australians are 1.2 times more likely to be diagnosed with T1D than non-Indigenous Australians.7
- Around 25,000 Australians are in the early stages of T1D and have yet to be diagnosed.8
Facts about type 1 diabetes in children
- T1D is one of the most common chronic childhood conditions.1
- For kids, the symptoms usually come on very quickly and are quite obvious, while in adults, the onset is slower.1
- In 2021, the peak age group for T1D diagnosis was 10–14 years old.5
- Around 13,000 Australian children and teenagers aged up to 19 years were living with T1D in 2021.5
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.
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