Question

Type II diabetes is an autoimmune disease.

Hint:

Type I diabetes always requires daily insulin therapy because the body cannot produce any insulin. In contrast, early-stage Type II diabetes can often be managed through diet, weight loss, exercise, and oral medications.

Answer 1

Step 1: Understanding Diabetes Mellitus Etiology:
Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic syndrome characterized by chronic high blood sugar (hyperglycemia) resulting from defects in insulin secretion, insulin action, or both.

Step 2: Comparing Type I and Type II Diabetes:

• Type I Diabetes is an autoimmune disease. In this condition, the body's immune system (specifically T-cells) mistakenly attacks and destroys the insulin-producing beta ($\beta$) cells in the islets of Langerhans in the pancreas, leading to an absolute insulin deficiency.
• Type II Diabetes is a metabolic and lifestyle-related disorder. It is characterized by peripheral insulin resistance (where body cells fail to respond properly to insulin) combined with a relative insulin deficiency. It is strongly linked to genetics, obesity, physical inactivity, and poor diet, rather than an autoimmune attack.

Step 3: Conclusion and Correction:
Therefore, the statement is False.
Corrected Statement: “Type I diabetes is an autoimmune disease characterized by the destruction of pancreatic beta cells, whereas Type II diabetes is a metabolic disorder characterized primarily by insulin resistance.”