Since the exact cause of type 1 diabetes in unknown, it is difficult to determine who is at risk for developing the disease. One factor that seems to increase your risk of type1 diabetes is having a close relative with the disease. Other known risk factors include:

• Race: Type 1 diabetes is more common among non-Hispanic whites, African Americans, and Hispanic Americans, while it is less common among Asians.
• Sex: Type 1 diabetes is more common in males than it is in females.
• Age: Unlike many chronic diseases, type 1 diabetes affects mostly younger people. The disease usually starts in children aged 4 years or older, and is most commonly diagnosed between the ages of 11 and 13 years. A small number of people are not diagnosed unitl their late 30s or early 40s.