Google Autocomplete Series: 10 Most Googled Questions About Type 1 Diabetes
Whether you are living with type 1 diabetes or someone close to you is living with the condition, it’s normal to have questions about how the condition develops, how to manage it, and how it might affect different aspects of your life.
We used the auto-complete feature available on Google to find out what people’s most searched questions are around type 1 diabetes.
1. What Is Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus?
Google Autocomplete Search Phrase: Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus
Type 1 diabetes mellitus, called type 1 diabetes for short, is a condition that causes the level of glucose, or sugar, in your blood to become too high. Type 1 diabetes arises when your pancreas is no longer able to produce insulin, which is one of the hormones that helps to keep blood glucose levels stable.1
2. What Are Type 1 Diabetes Symptoms?
Google Autocomplete Search Phrase: Type 1 Diabetes Symptoms
The most common symptoms of type 1 diabetes include:1
- Feeling very thirst, or unable to quench thirst after drinking plenty of water
- Increased frequency in urination
- Feeling inexplicably tired
- Losing weight without trying
- Blurry vision
- Cuts and grazes that don’t heal
Many of these symptoms can come on quickly and severely, especially in children. See your healthcare team immediately if you have these symptoms.
3. What Is the Treatment for Type 1 Diabetes?
Google Autocomplete Search Phrase: Type 1 Diabetes Treatment
Treatment for type 1 diabetes often includes a combination of lifestyle changes and insulin. People living with type 1 diabetes must use insulin to help manage blood glucose. This can be administered in two ways – via insulin pens or an insulin pump. If you are living with type 1 diabetes, your healthcare team will help decide what the best medication plan is for you. Management plans include revaluating and adjusting lifestyle choices [staying active, having a balanced diet] that help to keep blood glucose levels stable.1
4. Is Type 1 Diabetes Common in Children?
Google Autocomplete Search Phrase: Type 1 Diabetes Children
In 2019, the International Diabetes Federation reported that globally there are an estimated 1 110 100 young people under the age of 20 living with diabetes, with an estimated 128 900 cases annually.2
Even though type 1 diabetes was formerly known as juvenile diabetes, about half of newly diagnosed cases of type 1 diabetes are people over the age of 18.3
5. What Are the Causes of Type 1 Diabetes?
Google Autocomplete Search Phrase: Type 1 Diabetes Causes
Scientists still aren’t sure about what causes type 1 diabetes to develop, but genetic and environmental factors may play a role.4 Researchers are working hard to find the answers.
6. What Is the Life Expectancy of A Person Living With Type 1 Diabetes?
Google Autocomplete Search Phrase: Type 1 Diabetes Life Expectancy
A person living with well-managed type 1 diabetes can live as long as someone without diabetes.5 If you are living with type 1 diabetes, the most important thing is to have an open and healthy relationship with your healthcare team. Communicate with them about your struggles so you can work on building a plan together to effectively manage your type 1 diabetes.
7. Do People with Type 1 Diabetes Need to Follow A Special Diet?
Google Autocomplete Search Phrase: Type 1 Diabetes Diet
Generally, it is recommended that people with type 1 diabetes learn how to carb count so that they can calculate the correct insulin dose for their meals. Thanks to technological advancements and the production of automated insulin delivery systems, people living with type 1 diabetes don’t necessarily have to follow a specific diet. As long as your blood glucose levels are well managed, you can follow the same healthy dietary recommendations as the rest of the population. This includes choosing whole grains, fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, and lean proteins, and limiting refined carbohydrates and added sugars, like those found in white bread and cakes, and saturated fats.6
That being said, it is important to talk to your diabetes healthcare team about carbohydrate counting and any specific dietary recommendations for your body.
8. Are People With Type 1 Diabetes More At Risk Of Severe Covid-19?
Google Autocomplete Search Phrase: Type 1 Diabetes COVID-19
Currently, there isn’t enough data to determine whether or not people living with type 1 diabetes are more likely to get COVID-19. However, the Centres For Disease Control And Prevention [CDC] has reported that there is some evidence that people with type 1 diabetes are more likely to have serious complications from COVID-19, just as they are more likely to have severe symptoms and complications when infected with any virus.7 However, effective management of your type 1 diabetes and your glucose levels will likely lower your chance of getting very sick from COVID-19.
9. Is There a Cure for Type 1 Diabetes?
Google Autocomplete Search Phrase: Type 1 Diabetes Cure
Unfortunately, there is no cure for type 1 diabetes. Researchers are currently examining the possibility and effectiveness of transplants and the use of stem cells as potential cures. However, these potential cures are still in the laboratory phase of research with many challenges to overcome, which aren’t currently recommended or available to the general population.8
10. Will Type 1 Diabetes Affect My Pregnancy?
Google Autocomplete Search Phrase: Type 1 Diabetes Pregnancy
You can have a healthy pregnancy when living with type 1 diabetes. If you are currently pregnant or plan to become pregnant, it is important to speak with your diabetes healthcare team about ensuring good blood glucose control before and throughout your pregnancy.1
Final Thoughts
If you or a loved one is living with type 1 diabetes, it is normal to have many questions about how it came about and it is good to be well-informed about effective management, and how it will affect your life moving forward. Diabetes management has come a long way, and when you have good communication with your healthcare team and put their advice into practice, you can live a full life with type 1 diabetes.
Reference
1. Type 1 diabetes - About type 1 diabetes. https://www.nhs.uk. 2021 Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/type-1-diabetes/about-type-1-diabetes/. [Accessed March 2021].
2. Patterson, C.; Karuranga, S et al. Worldwide estimates of incidence, prevalence and mortality of type 1 diabetes in children and adolescents: Results from the International Diabetes Federation Diabetes Atlas, 9th edition. Diabetes Res Clin Pract. 2019;157:107842.
3. Facts and figures about type 1 diabetes - JDRF, the type 1 diabetes charity. JDRF, the type 1 diabetes charity. https://jdrf.org.uk. 2018. Available at: https://jdrf.org.uk/information-support/about-type-1-diabetes/facts-and-figures/. [Accessed March 2021].
4. Type 1 diabetes. https://www.diabetes.org.uk. 2021. Available at: https://www.diabetes.org.uk/type-1-diabetes. [Accessed March 2021].
5. Tachkov K, Mitov K, Koleva Y et al. Life expectancy and survival analysis of patients with diabetes compared to the non-diabetic population in Bulgaria. PLoS One. 2020;15(5):e0232815.
6. I have type 1 diabetes - what can I eat? https://www.diabetes.org.uk. 2021. Available at: https://www.diabetes.org.uk/guide-to-diabetes/enjoy-food/eating-with-diabetes/i-have-type-1-diabetes. [Accessed March 2021].
7. Frequently Asked Questions: COVID-19 and Diabetes | ADA. https://www.diabetes.org. 2020. Available at: https://www.diabetes.org/coronavirus-covid-19/how-coronavirus-impacts-people-with-diabetes. [Accessed March 2021].
8. Helman A, Melton D. A Stem Cell Approach to Cure Type 1 Diabetes. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol. 2020;13(1):a035741.