Type I diabetes (also known as juvenile diabetes or insulin dependent diabetes) accounts for just 5% of all adult cases, but each year roughly 20,000 children will be diagnosed with this less common form of diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes (also known as non-insulin dependent diabetes, insulin resistant diabetes or adult-onset diabetes) is the prevailing type of diabetes, accounting for 90-95% of all diabetes diagnoses.

Gestational diabetes occurs in pregnancy and may affect as many as 10% of pregnant women. Gestational diabetes goes away after the mother has given birth in the vast majority of cases.

Other specific types of diabetes, which may result from surgery, medications, malnutrition, illness, infections and genetic syndromes are rare, accounting for 1-5% of diagnosed cases of diabetes.