Describe Type 1 diabetes.

• A. Pancreas makes little to no insulin.
• B. Glucose cannot enter the bloodstream.
• C. The stomach digests fat improperly.
• D. Insulin is released in excess.

Answer: (A)

Type 1 diabetes occurs when the immune system attacks and destroys the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas, so the body makes little to no insulin. Insulin is what helps cells take up glucose from the bloodstream to use for energy. Without enough insulin, glucose stays high in the blood and tissues can’t access it for fuel, which is why this condition is defined by a lack of insulin production rather than a failure of glucose to enter the bloodstream.

This is why the statement describing the pancreas making little to no insulin is the best fit. The other ideas don’t match what happens in Type 1: glucose is present in the blood and can’t be properly taken up without insulin, fat digestion isn’t the issue described by Type 1, and insulin isn’t released in excess—in fact, it’s deficient.