How many children and adults are living with Type 1 Diabetes around the world? Where are the numbers highest, why are so many people still being diagnosed too late, and why should we all care?
Awareness of Type 1 diabetes has grown, but how much do people really know about the condition?
Awareness should be more than recognising the name of a condition, wearing a blue circle or sharing a post during Diabetes Awareness Month. It should mean understanding the facts behind the condition and recognising why they matter.
But what does the global picture of Type 1 diabetes actually look like? How many children and young people are living with it? Which parts of the world have the largest numbers? And, perhaps most importantly, what happens when someone develops T1D but does not receive a diagnosis in time?
The figures tell a story that reaches far beyond the diabetes community. They reveal the scale of a lifelong condition, the inequalities in diagnosis and access to treatment, and the importance of research, education and public understanding.
What is Type 1 diabetes?
Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) is an autoimmune condition in which the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks the insulin producing beta cells in the pancreas. As these cells are destroyed, the body can no longer produce the insulin it needs to regulate blood glucose.
Insulin is essential for life. It allows glucose from the bloodstream to enter the body’s cells and be used for energy. Without insulin, glucose builds up in the bloodstream rather than being used effectively by the body’s cells for energy. People with T1D therefore need insulin every day, delivered through injections or an insulin pump, alongside regular glucose monitoring and ongoing diabetes care.
There are a few important facts worth understanding about T1D:
It is not caused by lifestyle. Type 1 diabetes is not caused by eating too much sugar, an unhealthy diet or a lack of exercise.
It can develop at any age. A person can be diagnosed as a toddler, teenager or adult
It requires lifelong insulin. Insulin is not optional or simply a treatment choice; it is essential for survival.
There is currently no cure, but advances in glucose monitoring, insulin delivery, screening and research are changing what is possible for people living with the condition.
For further reading:
Nature Reviews Immunology – The immunology of Type 1 diabetes (2024)
Diabetes UK – Differences between Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes
How many people have Type 1 Diabetes worldwide?
The number of people living with Type 1 Diabetes is substantial, and estimates continue to rise. The 2025 International Diabetes Federation (IDF) Diabetes Atlas, 11th edition, and the T1D Index, estimated that:
9.5 million people were living with Type 1 diabetes worldwide in 2025.
Approximately 1.85 million were under the age of 20.
An estimated 513,000 new cases occurred during 2025, including around 222,000 among children and young people under 20.
Around 30,000 children and young people may die without a diagnosis at the clinical onset of Type 1 diabetes in 2025.
The global T1D population is projected to reach 14.7 million by 2040.
These figures illustrate the scale of a condition that is sometimes still described as rare or primarily associated with a handful of countries.
The global picture has changed considerably over time. A major 2021 modelling study estimated that 8.4 million people were living with T1D worldwide. The newer 2025 analysis suggests an increase of approximately 13% over that period.
This should not be interpreted as a simple increase in the number of people developing T1D. Better diagnosis, improved survival, population growth and changes in the underlying incidence all contribute to the growing number of people living with the condition.
Nevertheless, the overall direction is clear: Type 1 diabetes affects millions of people across the world, and its impact extends far beyond the countries traditionally associated with it.
Where do the world’s children and young people with T1D live?
Type 1 Diabetes affects children and young people in every part of the world, but the estimated numbers vary considerably between regions.
The IDF’s 2024 estimates provide a useful picture of the geographical distribution of children and adolescents aged 0–19 living with T1D.
IDF region
Estimated number
Europe 410,374
Middle East and North Africa 394,172
South-East Asia 320,044
North America and the Caribbean 242,862
Western Pacific 181,376
South and Central America 162,586
Africa 98,163
These numbers reveal two different versions of the global T1D story.
Europe continues to have the largest regional total, but the Middle East and North Africa are close behind. South-East Asia, driven heavily by India’s population and T1D burden, accounts for almost one in six children and adolescents estimated to be living with the condition.
The geographical distribution is more varied than many people might expect. T1D is not confined to northern Europe or North America. It is a global condition, with substantial populations across Asia, the Middle East, North Africa and South America.
However, a regional total does not tell the whole story. Population size, access to diagnosis, healthcare infrastructure and the availability of reliable data all influence what the figures show.
It is also important to distinguish between the number of people living with T1D and the rate of T1D within a population. A country with a large population may have a high total number of people with the condition without having the highest prevalence rate.
Source: IDF Diabetes Atlas – People with Type 1 diabetes aged 0–19.
Which countries have the highest numbers of young people living with T1D
Looking at individual countries gives another perspective on the global picture.
The following are the ten countries with the largest estimated numbers of people aged 1-19 living with T1D in the IDF’s 2024 estimates:
Country
Estimated T1D population, age 0–19
India 300,788
United States 196,778
China 116,589
Brazil 99,092
Egypt 69,281
Russian Federation 61,404
Algeria 56,162
Türkiye 46,787
Saudi Arabia 46,469
Morocco 42,501
The United Kingdom follows closely, with an estimated 42,017 people aged 0–19 living with T1D, while Germany has approximately 41,564.
These figures are estimates of the total number of young people affected, not a ranking of countries by individual risk or prevalence rate.
The prominence of India is particularly striking. It has the largest estimated population of children and adolescents living with T1D in the world, with more than 300,000 young people affected. Yet India does not have the world’s highest concentration of T1D among young people. It reaches the top of the numerical rankings largely because even a comparatively modest rate applied to an enormous population produces a very large number of cases.
China illustrates the same distinction. Its estimated 116,589 young people with T1D make it the third-largest national population, but this represents a much smaller proportion of its youth population than is seen in Finland or several Middle Eastern countries.
This difference between absolute numbers and population adjusted prevalence is essential. Absolute numbers indicate where the greatest quantities of insulin, glucose monitoring supplies, clinicians and support services may be required. Population adjusted figures show where T1D is most concentrated among children and adolescents. Both measurements matter, but they answer different questions.
Where is T1D most concentrated?
Finland is particularly notable for its exceptionally high childhood T1D prevalence and has historically recorded some of the highest incidence rates in the world.
Northern European countries, including Finland, Sweden and Norway, have long been recognised as high incidence areas. However, the geographical picture is more complex than this traditional association suggests.
Countries across the Arabian Peninsula, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Kuwait and Bahrain, also have substantial estimated burdens relative to their young populations.
North Africa is another important area, with countries such as Libya, Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia contributing to the regional picture.
This is why the shorthand description of T1D as a predominantly northern European disease is increasingly misleading. There are important differences between the number of people living with T1D in a country and the likelihood of developing the condition. Population size, age distribution, underlying incidence and the availability of diagnosis all influence the figures.
These distinctions are important. Countries with very different population sizes and healthcare systems cannot be compared fairly using total numbers alone.
Further to this, the reasons behind these geographical differences are complex. Genetics, environmental influences and differences in population characteristics may all contribute. There is no single explanation for why some countries have higher rates than others, and further research is needed to understand these patterns.
It is also worth remembering that estimates are not the same as a complete count of every person living with the condition. In places where diagnosis and reporting are limited, the actual number may be higher than recorded.
Understanding incidence, prevalence and undiagnosed cases
When looking at global diabetes statistics, three terms appear frequently. Understanding the difference helps make sense of the figures.
Incidence is the number of new cases diagnosed over a particular period, usually a year.
Prevalence is the number of people living with T1D at a particular time.
Diagnosed prevalence depends not only on how many people develop T1D, but also on whether they receive a diagnosis and survive.
These measures tell us different things. A country may have a high prevalence because many people are living with T1D, while another may have a high incidence because more new cases are developing each year.
Diagnosed prevalence and undiagnosed cases, those people who have the condition but have not yet received a diagnosis, also highlight considerable differences between countries and regions. Some have well-established diabetes registries and reliable systems for identifying new cases. Others have limited surveillance, making it difficult to establish the true number of people developing T1D. This means that apparently low rates in some countries do not necessarily reflect a genuinely low underlying incidence.
The Middle East and North Africa
The IDF estimates that the Middle East and North Africa contain approximately 394,000 people aged 0–19 with T1D, almost as many as the entire European region.
Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Türkiye, Morocco and Egypt are all among the countries with the largest youth T1D populations, while several Gulf countries have particularly high population adjusted estimates.
The scale of the region’s burden is therefore not explained by a single country. It extends from the Gulf across North Africa and into the eastern Mediterranean.
Different combinations of underlying incidence, youthful populations, case recognition and survival are likely to affect each country, so the regional pattern should not be attributed to one environmental or genetic factor without stronger evidence.
South and South-East Asia
India has the largest estimated population of children and adolescents living with T1D in the world. At the same time, research suggests that many childhood cases in South and South-East Asia are not diagnosed.
A global simulation study published in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology estimated 355,900 new T1D cases among people aged 0–19 in 2021, but only 200,400, or 56%, were diagnosed.
The study also found substantial regional differences. In South and South-East Asia, West Africa and Melanesia fewer than 35% of new cases were estimated to be diagnosed.
This means that recorded cases can substantially understate the underlying burden. As diagnosis improves, reported incidence and prevalence may rise even if the biological rate at which T1D develops does not change.
For health systems, however, the practical result is the same: more children require insulin, monitoring, education and continuing clinical support.
Africa and other under-counted regions
Africa has the lowest IDF regional estimate, at approximately 98,000 people aged 0–19 living with T1D. Yet it also has a very large population of children and adolescents.
That contrast should not automatically be interpreted as evidence of a very low underlying incidence.
The global simulation study estimated that fewer than 35% of childhood cases were diagnosed in West Africa. It also highlighted how underdiagnosis can make the global burden appear smaller than it really is.
In settings where a child dies from diabetic ketoacidosis before T1D is recognised, the case may never enter a diabetes registry.
Low diagnosed prevalence can therefore coexist with substantial incidence and severe premature mortality.
The children missing from the statistics
One of the most troubling aspects of the global T1D picture is that not every child who develops the condition receives a diagnosis.
In countries with established healthcare systems, children presenting with the symptoms of T1D can generally access blood glucose testing, diagnosis and insulin treatment. But this is not the reality everywhere.
The 2025 IDF estimates suggest that approximately 30,000 children and young people may die without a diagnosis at the clinical onset of T1D each year.
Behind this figure are children whose symptoms may not have been recognised, whose families may not have known what was happening, or who were unable to access the healthcare needed to identify and treat the condition.
Without insulin, untreated T1D can rapidly become life-threatening. A child may develop diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), a serious complication that requires urgent medical treatment.
The global simulation study estimated that in 2021 only 56% of new childhood and adolescent T1D cases were diagnosed. In some regions, the proportion was considerably lower.
This means that the number of people recorded as living with T1D does not necessarily reflect everyone who develops it.
It also highlights an important distinction: a low reported number of cases does not always mean a low underlying burden. In some regions, it may reflect a lack of access to diagnosis and reliable healthcare data.
For these children, awareness is not simply about understanding diabetes. It can be the difference between recognising a life-threatening condition and missing the opportunity to save a life.
Why prevalence can rise even without a dramatic surge in incidence
The number of people living with T1D grows when more people develop the condition than die. Several forces can increase prevalence:
Higher incidence: More children or adults are being diagnosed with T1D each year.
Population growth: A stable incidence rate applied to a larger population produces more cases.
Earlier and improved diagnosis: Children previously recorded as dying from an unidentified acute illness are correctly diagnosed with T1D.
Improved survival: Better access to insulin, glucose monitoring, education and specialist healthcare means more people are living longer with T1D.
Accumulation across the lifespan: Because T1D requires lifelong treatment, each year’s newly diagnosed population is added to people diagnosed in previous decades.
As people live longer with T1D, the total number of people living with the condition increases. This is an important reason why prevalence can rise even when the rate of new diagnoses changes more slowly.
The 2025 global analysis found that the number of people living with T1D had increased from an estimated 8.4 million in 2021 to 9.5 million in 2025.
It also highlighted significant gaps in the available evidence, with no contemporary data available for 119 countries.
What could the future of T1D look like?
The latest global modelling estimates suggest that the worldwide T1D population could reach approximately 14.7 million people by 2040, compared with an estimated 9.5 million in 2025.
This represents a substantial increase over just 15 years.
A separate model concentrating on children and adolescents projected that the annual number of new T1D cases among people aged 0–19 could rise from an estimated 355,900 in 2021 to 476,700 in 2050.
These projections measure different outcomes: one estimates the total population living with T1D across all ages, while the other projects new annual cases among children and adolescents. Both, however, describe substantial expansion.
This presents important challenges for healthcare systems, particularly in countries where access to insulin, glucose monitoring technology, specialist care and diabetes education is already limited. However, the future is not only about increasing numbers. Research is also creating new opportunities for earlier detection and treatments that may change the course of the condition for some people.
Research: Ogle et al. (2025), Global Type 1 Diabetes Prevalence, Incidence and Mortality Estimates and Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology global modelling study (2022).
Research is moving forward, but there is still much to understand
Although there is currently no cure for T1D, research is continuing to improve our understanding of how the condition develops and whether its progression can be delayed.
One particularly important area is early screening.
Researchers can now identify certain people at increased risk of developing symptomatic T1D by testing for diabetes related autoantibodies. The presence of multiple islet autoantibodies can indicate that someone is at an increased risk of progressing to symptomatic Type 1 Diabetes. These tests can identify early stages of the autoimmune process before symptoms appear.
This has opened up opportunities for monitoring and, in some circumstances, intervention before someone develops the symptoms traditionally associated with diagnosis.
One example is teplizumab, an immunotherapy that can delay the progression from early stage T1D to symptomatic disease in eligible people. In 2026, NICE recommended teplizumab for eligible children aged either and over and adults with early stage (sage 2) T1D for NHS use in England. It has also been approved for NHS use in Wales.
Clinical trial evidence suggests that treatment can delay the onset of symptomatic T1D by an average of nearly three years, although the benefit varies between individuals. It does not cure T1D or guarantee that the condition will never develop, but it represents an important development in the treatment landscape.
This research matters because it challenges the idea that the only opportunity to act comes once someone becomes unwell. Earlier identification and emerging treatments may offer new possibilities for people at increased risk. However, screening programmes, access to specialist assessment and the availability of treatments remain uneven. More research is needed to understand how these developments can benefit people across different populations and healthcare systems.
Further reading:
Why does the global picture matter to all of us?
It might be tempting to see these figures as something relevant primarily to people already living with Type 1 diabetes and their families. But the reality is that understanding T1D has implications far beyond the diabetes community. It is a public health concern, a research priority and an example of how access to healthcare can influence someone’s future.
Understanding the global picture matters for several reasons.
1. Awareness can help save lives
Recognising the early symptoms of T1D is important for everyone, not just parents of children with the condition.
Teachers, sports coaches, extended family members, friends and healthcare professionals may be among the first to notice that something isn’t right.
Knowing the four commonly recognised warning signs – the 4Ts – can make a difference:
Toilet: Going to the toilet more frequently, including during the night.
Thirsty: Being unusually thirsty and unable to quench that thirst.
Tired: Experiencing unusual or persistent tiredness.
Thinner: Losing weight unexpectedly or appearing thinner.
These symptoms can develop over just a few days or weeks. Recognising them and seeking urgent medical assessment can help prevent a child or adult becoming seriously unwell before diagnosis.
Knowing these signs is useful whether you are a parent, teacher, grandparent, colleague or simply someone who wants to understand the condition better.
If you recognise these symptoms in yourself or someone else, seek urgent medical assessment. In the UK, contact your GP urgently or NHS 111. If there are signs of DKA, such as vomiting, abdominal pain, deep or rapid breathing, drowsiness or confusion, seek emergency help.
Find out more:
2. It helps challenge misconceptions
There are still widespread misunderstandings about Type 1 Diabetes. Someone with T1D should not have to explain that they didn’t develop the condition by eating too much sugar, that they cannot simply stop taking insulin or that managing diabetes involves considerably more than remembering to inject before a meal.
Better public understanding can help reduce stigma, challenge unhelpful assumptions and make everyday environments more supportive.
This matters in schools, workplaces, sports clubs, universities and social settings.
It also matters when people with T1D are advocating for themselves. Understanding the condition helps others recognise that diabetes management is a continuous responsibility, often involving decisions and adjustments throughout the day and night.
3. Access to treatment is a global issue
In some parts of the world, access to insulin, glucose monitoring equipment, diabetes education and specialist healthcare remains limited.
The World Health Organization has established global diabetes coverage targets for 2030. One of the most important is that 100% of people with Type 1 diabetes should have access to affordable insulin and blood glucose self-monitoring.
This is not simply a healthcare issue for individual families. It is a question of health equity: a person’s chances of surviving and living well with T1D should not be determined by their income or geographical location.
Insulin has been available for more than a century, yet access to this life-sustaining treatment remains unequal.
Understanding the global picture helps us recognise that the challenges faced by families in one country may be very different from those experienced elsewhere, even though they are living with the same condition.
Read more: World Health Organization – Global diabetes coverage targets.
4. It supports research, technology and better healthcare planning
The growing global population living with T1D has implications for healthcare planning, medical research, technology development and public health investment.
More people living longer with T1D means a continuing need for accessible treatments, improved diabetes technology, better education and support throughout adulthood and older age.
It also means that T1D should not be viewed exclusively through the lens of childhood diagnosis. Adults develop the condition too, and people diagnosed as children grow up and need support as they move through different stages of life.
The wider public has a role in supporting research, informed healthcare policy and the organisations working to improve access to treatment.
Understanding the scale of the condition helps ensure that these needs are recognised rather than overlooked.
Ultimately, awareness is not just about knowing that Type 1 diabetes exists. It is about understanding what living with it involves, recognising when somebody might need help and supporting a world in which everyone can access the treatment they need. The more accurately we understand the global picture, the better equipped we are to respond to it.
Reading the statistics with care
All global T1D rankings contain uncertainty.
The 2021 worldwide modelling study had incidence data from 97 countries and mortality data from only 37, requiring estimates for countries without adequate surveillance. The 2025 global epidemiological analysis also highlighted a significant gap in available information, with contemporary data unavailable for 119 countries. The IDF Diabetes Atlas draws on peer reviewed research, national health surveys, registries and other official sources, with modelling used where direct data are unavailable.
The country figures in this article should therefore be seen as the best available map, not as a perfect census.
The map is generally clearest in countries with longstanding registries and reliable healthcare records. It is least certain in places where children can die without diagnosis, where insulin access is inconsistent or where national surveillance is absent.
It is also important to distinguish between the different years used in the research. The country and regional comparisons in this article refer to the IDF’s 2024 estimates, while the newer global analysis provides 2025 population and projection figures. These differences do not make the statistics less valuable. They remind us why continued research, better reporting, and more consistent data collection are so important. They help us understand what the figures actually tell us, rather than treating every increase as evidence of the same underlying trend.
What can you do to make a difference?
You do not need to live with Type 1 diabetes or have a family member with the condition to help improve understanding.
A few simple actions can make a difference:
Learn the symptoms: Remember the 4Ts and share them with family, friends, schools and colleagues.
Challenge misconceptions: Help others understand that T1D is an autoimmune condition, not something caused by lifestyle.
Share reliable information: Use trusted sources to help raise awareness beyond Diabetes Awareness Month.
Support equitable access to care: Learn about the inequalities affecting people who cannot access insulin, monitoring supplies or specialist support.
Support research and advocacy: Follow organisations working to improve diagnosis, treatment, technology and access to diabetes care.
Most importantly, listen to the experiences of people living with T1D. Statistics help us understand the scale of the condition, but personal experiences help us understand what those numbers mean in everyday life.
Small steps towards better understanding can have a much wider impact.
Awareness begins with understanding
The global picture of Type 1 Diabetes is complex. Millions of people are living with the condition, new diagnoses continue to occur every year, and many people around the world still face barriers to receiving a timely diagnosis and essential treatment.
Behind every statistic is a person, a family and a life that has been changed by Type 1 Diabetes. The numbers matter because they help us understand the scale of the challenge. They highlight where progress is being made, where inequalities remain and where more work is needed.
But awareness should not stop at knowing that Type 1 Diabetes exists.
It should mean knowing the symptoms could help somebody receive a diagnosis sooner, understanding that T1D is an autoimmune condition could challenge a misconception, and recognising the importance of insulin access could help strengthen the case for better healthcare and greater equality.
We cannot expect people to advocate for a condition they don’t understand. Nor can we expect misconceptions to disappear if we don’t take the time to explain the facts.
Awareness is not simply about how many people have heard of Type 1 diabetes. It is about how many people understand it well enough to recognise it, respond to it and support those living with it.
Before we can raise awareness of Type 1 diabetes, we need to understand it. And the more we understand, the better equipped we are to recognise it, support those living with it and advocate for a future where everyone, everywhere, has the opportunity to live well with T1D.
Sources and further reading
The following organisations and research publications informed this article and provide further opportunities to explore the research in more detail.
International Diabetes Federation – Diabetes Atlas, 11th Edition (2025)
IDF – People with Type 1 diabetes aged 0–19: country and regional estimates
Ogle et al. (2025) – Global Type 1 Diabetes Prevalence, Incidence and Mortality Estimates
Editorial note: Country and regional youth estimates refer to the IDF’s 2024 data. Global population estimates and projections are drawn from the 2025 IDF/T1D Index analysis. These are model based estimates rather than a direct census. Population adjusted prevalence should be distinguished from incidence, and country comparisons should be interpreted in the context of differences in population size, age distribution, diagnosis and data availability.
