Epidemiology

Type 1 diabetes accounts for about 5% to 10% of all patients with diabetes.[9]​ According to the World Health Organization, in 2017 there were 9 million people with type 1 diabetes globally, with the majority originating from high-income countries.[10]​

Type 1 diabetes is the most commonly diagnosed diabetes of youth (under 20 years of age) and causes ≥85% of all diabetes cases in this age-group.[9] It is estimated that 1.2 million people ages 0-19 years have type 1 diabetes worldwide, with 184,100 newly diagnosed cases each year.[11]​ In the US in 2021, 304,000 children and adolescents under 20 years of age had type 1 diabetes, and during 2017-2018, more than 18,000 were newly diagnosed.[12] In 2014-2015​ the annual incidence of type 1 diabetes in children and adolescents in the US was 22.3 per 100,000 overall, with substantial differences between racial/ethnic groups (27.3 per 100,000 in non-Hispanic white youth, 20.8 per 100,000 in black youth, and 16.3 per 100,000 in Hispanic youth).[13]​ Among US adults ages 20 years or older, an estimated 1.7 million (5.7% of all US adults with diagnosed diabetes) had insulin-treated type 1 diabetes in 2021.[12]

There is significant geographic variation in the reported incidence of type 1 diabetes.[14] It is more common in European people and less common in Asian people, with age-adjusted incidence rates ranging from 0.1 per 100,000 per year in parts of China to 40.9 per 100,000 per year in Finland.[14] The prevalence of underdiagnosis varies substantially; over 65% of new type 1 diabetes cases are missed in West Africa, South and Southeast Asia, and Melanesia, while less than 5% go undiagnosed in North America, Australia, New Zealand, and Western and Northern Europe, revealing a stark disparity in access to diagnosis.[15]

Worldwide, the incidence of type 1 diabetes is increasing by 3% every year, although the reasons for this are unclear.[12][16][17][18][19]​​​ One report showed a more rapid increase in nonwhite racial and ethnic groups.[20]​ It is estimated that the age-standardized global prevalence of the disease will increase by 24% from 0.2% in 2021 to 0.3% in 2050.[21]

Type 1 diabetes can present at any age, with the highest incidence observed in children ages 10-14 years.[22] There is a slight male predominance, particularly after puberty.[22]

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