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I have been a Type 1 diabetic since I was eight years old. I am now 31 and am not and have never been obese. In Type 1 diabetes, the immune system attacks the

I have been a Type 1 diabetic since I was eight years old. I am now 31 and am not and have never been obese. In Type 1 diabetes, the immune system attacks the beta cells in the pancreas which would normally produce insulin. It is a lifelong autoimmune disorder, not a lifestyle choice. It also happens to be the population of diabetics most likely to be impacted by the cost of insulin, as our bodies do not produce any. I understand that the last sentence was meant as a quip/jab at the clear obesity problem which the United States in particular is dealing with, along with the epidemic of type 2 diabetes that is resulting. It is real and needs to be fought on many fronts. Your argument, however, implies that ALL diabetics are overweight, irresponsible people, which is simply not the case for type 1's at all and for many (if not most) type 2's.

gozur88 11y ago
I have no idea what your comment has to do with mine. If you read it again you'll see I imply nothing beyond the fact that Americans, as a group, suffer from poor health choices.
1123581321 11y ago
I'm type 1 and I don't mind jabs about weight. Diabetes isn't a completely random autoimmune disease; some of us have it because of our mothers' diets, bad periods of sickness during childhood and so on. Late adult type 1 diabetics can often point to overwork, bad diet and some type 1s likely have issues with fatty pancreas disease (those with very low, but existent, c peptide, for example.) I believe we would have fewer type 1 diabetics in a healthier country. I also think that, though type 1s aren't as obese as type 2s on average, we can always do better at reducing our need for insulin and keeping ourselves fit and mostly well-functioning. I don't believe we have much to gain from telling people not to lump us in with pure type 2s as if we are a protected class.
- pimeys 11y ago
  Type 1 diabetic here. I remember having the flu before I got the diabetes, and later on there's been some research that if you have the genes and get the flu when you're a child, there's a big chance of losing your insulin production. Would love to have some sources for this though, because it's been a long time since I heard about this. I was lucky though, born in Finland with the best type 1 diabetes study and completely free insulins and medical care.

gozur88 11y ago

I have no idea what your comment has to do with mine. If you read it again you'll see I imply nothing beyond the fact that Americans, as a group, suffer from poor health choices.

1123581321 11y ago

I'm type 1 and I don't mind jabs about weight. Diabetes isn't a completely random autoimmune disease; some of us have it because of our mothers' diets, bad periods of sickness during childhood and so on. Late adult type 1 diabetics can often point to overwork, bad diet and some type 1s likely have issues with fatty pancreas disease (those with very low, but existent, c peptide, for example.) I believe we would have fewer type 1 diabetics in a healthier country. I also think that, though type 1s aren't as obese as type 2s on average, we can always do better at reducing our need for insulin and keeping ourselves fit and mostly well-functioning. I don't believe we have much to gain from telling people not to lump us in with pure type 2s as if we are a protected class.

pimeys 11y ago
Type 1 diabetic here. I remember having the flu before I got the diabetes, and later on there's been some research that if you have the genes and get the flu when you're a child, there's a big chance of losing your insulin production. Would love to have some sources for this though, because it's been a long time since I heard about this. I was lucky though, born in Finland with the best type 1 diabetes study and completely free insulins and medical care.