1.3 million adults in the United States, about 0.55% of the adult population, had type 1 diabetes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).Early in the course of the disease, the immune system destroys cells in the pancreas that produce insulin.As a result, people with the condition are unable to generate enough insulin to regulate the amount of glucose, or sugar, circulating in their blood.Over time, high levels of blood glucose, an issue called hyperglycemia, can damage tissues all over the body, including in the eyes, kidneys, nervous system, and cardiovascular system.Even if a person regulates their blood glucose later in life, early episodes of poor glycemic control can have permanent effects, increasing the.