Type 1 diabetes in 2025: where are we at in Canada and in the world ?

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is a chronic illness affecting millions of people around the world. In 2025, it is estimated that 9.5 million people live T1D, an increase of 13% from 2021. Several factors can explain this increase: better screening, including diagnoses in adults (LADA diabetes), growing world population and more new cases diagnosed each year.

These figures were taken from a scientific article, published this year, which offers a global overview of T1D as well as projections up to 2040. Estimates are based on two major sources: the International Diabetes Federation Atlas and the T1D Index.

In this article, we discuss the key points of this global portrait and look at the situation in Canada in order to better understand the current and future challenges associated with type 1 diabetes care.

A different picture from country to country

For a 10-year-old child diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 2025, life expectancy can vary enormously, from just 6 years in very disadvantaged countries to over 60 years in others. This significant difference reflects inequalities in access to care, particularly in countries where medical resources, including insulin, are limited.

In low-income countries, mortality from T1D unfortunately remains very high. Late or incorrect diagnoses, as well as diabetic ketoacidosis cases that were not recognized or treated in time, cause many deaths in children and young people. And this situation is aggravated by the lack of access to insulin. These deaths could be avoided with better training for healthcare professionals, increased awareness among families and communities, and wider access to insulin.

In Canada, the number of years left to live after a diagnosis of T1D is estimated at 60 years, as opposed to 73 years for a person without diabetes. Despite significant progress, T1D continues to have an impact on life expectancy, even in a country with advanced medical resources. However, recent data suggests that life expectancy is increasingly improving for people with T1D. Results from the BETTER registry, in particular, highlight the possibility of healthy aging for these people.

The rapid progression of T1D in low-income countries

The number of people living with T1D in low- to middle-income countries increased by 20% between 2021 and 2025, going from 1.8 million to 2.1 million. This reflects both improved diagnoses and sustained demographic growth. However, even though more and more people are diagnosed, many still lack access to essential care, increasing the risk of serious, avoidable complications.

These findings demonstrate the urgent need to improve access to insulin, monitoring tools (blood sugar, ketone bodies), self-management training and healthcare professionals specialized in supporting people with T1D.

For example, access to new technologies could add an estimated six years or more to a person’s life expectancy free of complications.

In many regions (notably Africa, South America and parts of Asia), there is still insufficient data for the reality of T1D to be understood fully, limiting the scope for planning and implementing appropriate health strategies.

In Canada

The data in Canada is more solid, but an estimated 49,000 cases of T1D remain unaccounted for in global databases, reflecting the challenges associated with comprehensive data collection, even in developed countries.

In the same article, it is estimated that in 2025, there are 250,506 people with T1D in Canada, of which nearly 28,153 are under the age of 20. Canada ranks among the 10 countries most affected by T1D, and the incidence in children under 15 is 39 cases per 100,000, one of the highest in the world.

Significant progress and remaining challenges

Since 2000, international initiatives such as Life for a Child and the programs of the International Diabetes Federation have helped improve access to insulin, monitoring tests and education in low-income countries.

In high-income countries, advances in access to technologies (e.g., insulin pumps, continuous glucose monitors, new-generation types of insulin) and management have significantly reduced early mortality associated with T1D. Yet, the gap in life expectancy observed in Canada, compared with the general population, shows that there is still room for improvement in terms of reducing complications and improving the quality of life for people with T1D. Investment in research, technological innovation and educational resources continue to grow, in order to better support these people.

Aside from blood sugar management, which remains central, it is also essential to reduce risk factors for cardiovascular disease (e.g. high cholesterol, high blood pressure). Data from the BETTER registry in Canada shows that treatments for these risk factors are generally prescribed appropriately, but that the situation could be improved.

Why is this important?

These figures are essential; they help to better understand the reality of people with T1D, to adjust care strategies and to raise awareness of T1D among the general population. Whether you’re living with T1D, a healthcare professional or a loved one of someone with T1D, this data offers a clear vision of what challenges lie ahead, of what progress was made and of what persistent inequalities need to be addressed.

Sign up for the BETTER registry

Whether you are a person with T1D (or LADA) or the parent of a child with this condition in Canada, your registration with the BETTER Registry is essential to better understand the realities of your daily life, identify specific needs and support initiatives aimed at improving the quality of life with T1D.