There are many diabetes facts that everybody should know. First and foremost, it is important to understand what diabetes is and what causes diabetes. There are two main types of diabetes mellitus, type I (insulin dependent/juvenile onset) and type II (insulin resistant/adult onset).

Type I diabetes is typically diagnosed in childhood or early adulthood. Type I diabetes is a condition that occurs when the pancreas is unable to produce a sufficient amount of the insulin hormone. The insulin hormone helps the fat and muscle cells in the body metabolize blood glucose. If insulin is not produced adequately, the body is unable to properly utilize blood glucose. This can have devastating effects on the kidneys, heart and other organs throughout the body. Thus, people with type I diabetes typically require insulin injections up to several times per day to metabolize blood sugar adequately.

Type II diabetes is generally diagnosed in adults. …