WHO Releases First Guideline on Type 1 Diabetes in Adults
More than a century after the discovery of insulin, the World Health Organization (WHO) has released its first-ever guideline on the diagnosis and management of type 1 diabetes in adults, timed to World Diabetes Day 2026. The guideline is designed to guide diagnosis and treatment across different healthcare settings, including low-resource environments, emergencies and humanitarian crises.
Core Recommendation: Multiple Daily Insulin Injections
WHO recommends that people with type 1 diabetes receive insulin injections several times a day, with doses adjusted according to their blood glucose levels. The guideline identifies human insulin as an appropriate and effective treatment option, while other types of insulin may also be used where necessary, depending on individual needs and availability.
- Multiple daily insulin injections with doses adjusted to blood glucose levels
- Human insulin as an appropriate and effective treatment option
- Other insulin types may be used based on individual needs
Blood Glucose Monitoring Is Critical
Beyond insulin treatment, WHO emphasizes regular blood glucose monitoring as a critical component of managing the condition and reducing the risk of complications.
- At healthcare facilities: periodic blood tests measuring average glucose levels over recent months
- At home: finger-prick testing or continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) systems
- Where glucose testing is unavailable: urine glucose testing may be considered as an alternative
Global Burden and Diagnostic Gaps
WHO estimates that about 9.5 million people were living with type 1 diabetes globally in 2025, with another 500,000 diagnosed that same year. Although type 1 diabetes has traditionally been associated with childhood, WHO notes it is increasingly affecting adults, and health systems need to strengthen diagnosis and treatment services beyond paediatric care.
Type 1 diabetes is a lifelong condition in which the pancreas produces little or no insulin, and people depend on daily insulin treatment to survive. WHO estimates the global burden of diabetes has increased more than fourfold since 1990, with approximately 830 million people living with diabetes worldwide in 2022, most of whom had type 2 diabetes. More than 40 per cent of people with diabetes do not know they have the condition and remain undiagnosed.
Affordable Insulin Remains a Major Challenge
Dr Soren Brostrom, WHO Director of Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health, said: "Insulin is a lifesaving treatment, discovered more than 100 years ago. Yet many people with type 1 diabetes do not have access to affordable and high-quality insulin." The guidelines provide evidence-based recommendations to help countries improve diabetes care and ensure appropriate treatment even where resources are limited and health services are disrupted.
2030 Targets and Patient Involvement
The recommendations support WHO's broader global targets for diabetes care, particularly ensuring that all people living with type 1 diabetes have access to affordable insulin treatment and blood glucose self-monitoring by 2030. WHO also urged countries to involve people living with type 1 diabetes in the design, implementation and evaluation of diabetes programmes so that policies reflect patients' experiences and needs.
The theme of World Diabetes Day 2026 is "Early action on diabetes," underscoring the importance of timely diagnosis, appropriate treatment and sustained management in preventing complications. If left undiagnosed or inadequately managed, diabetes can lead to blindness, kidney failure, heart attacks, strokes and lower-limb amputations.
Tracking metrics such as blood glucose and insulin doses helps reveal trends over time. The Xiaoshu Health App can sync with Apple Health to track relevant metrics, helping you manage your health data more systematically.