Risk Factors for Type 1 Diabetes: A Snapshot for Primary Care
About 40% of people who have T1D are not aware of it until they experience an extreme health event; screening in primary care can help reduce the risk, support families.
First-degree relatives are among the high-risk populations for T1D.
- Sources: NIDDK, American Diabetes Association
Persons who test positive for pancreatic beta cell autoantibodies are also at high risk for developing T1D.
- Sources: NIDDK, American Diabetes Association
Genetic susceptibility is another high-risk indicator for developing T1D.
- Sources: NIDDK, American Diabetes Association
The 3 most commonly used methods to screen for T1D are serum autoantibody testing, the oral glucose tolerance test, and genetic testing, this last typically reserved in research settings.
- Source: TrialNet,
Routine screening for type 1 diabetes in the general population is not currently recommended due to its relatively low prevalence. However, screening is strongly advised for high-risk populations—those with a family history of T1D or certain genetic markers associated with increased risk.
