Diabetes is a lifelong medical condition where the body cannot produce enough insulin. Insulin is a chemical made by the pancreas, which regulates the blood sugar (glucose) level in the body.
Normally our bodies automatically keep the right blood sugar levels, but for someone with diabetes their body can't. Instead, they have to control the blood sugar level themselves by monitoring what they eat, and taking insulin injections or pills.
There are two types of diabetes: Type 1, or insulin-dependent diabetes, and Type 2, also known as non-insulin-dependent diabetes.
Sometimes people who have diabetes may have a diabetic emergency, where their blood sugar becomes either too high or too low. Both conditions are potentially serious and may need treatment in hospital.
