Diabetes is a chronic condition that affects how your body turns food into energy. With diabetes, your body either doesn’t make enough insulin or can’t use the insulin it makes as well as it should. Insulin is a hormone that allows blood sugar (glucose) to enter your cells to be used for energy. There are two main types of diabetes:
- Type 1 diabetes – Your body does not produce insulin. It usually develops in childhood or young adulthood. People with type 1 diabetes need to take insulin every day.
- Type 2 diabetes – Your body does not produce enough insulin or your cells do not respond to insulin properly. It usually develops in adulthood, although rates among children are rising. Many people with type 2 diabetes do not need insulin and can manage with a healthy diet and exercise alone.
With proper management and care, many people with diabetes are able to live long, fulfilling lives. So can you live 30 years with diabetes? Let’s take a closer look.
Life expectancy with diabetes
In general, life expectancy for people with diabetes is getting closer to the general population without diabetes. Improvements in diabetes care and management have helped increase life expectancy. However, some key factors impact how long you can expect to live with diabetes:
- Type of diabetes – People with type 1 diabetes have a shorter life expectancy compared to people without diabetes. However, the gap has been narrowing. Those with type 2 diabetes have a slightly reduced life expectancy compared to those without diabetes.
- Age of diagnosis – People diagnosed at a younger age have a higher risk of complications that can impact life expectancy.
- Diabetes management – Keeping blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels under control can significantly increase life expectancy.
- Other health conditions – Having other chronic diseases in addition to diabetes can shorten life expectancy.
According to recent estimates:
- The life expectancy for people with type 1 diabetes is about 68 to 72 years on average.
- The life expectancy for people with type 2 diabetes is about 69 to 75 years on average.
So while diabetes does reduce average life expectancy, with proper management many people are still able to live into their 70s and beyond.
Living well with diabetes
There are many things you can do to optimize your health and maximize your lifespan with diabetes:
- Monitor blood sugar levels – Keep levels as close to target as possible.
- Take all prescribed medications – Follow your treatment plan.
- Adopt a healthy diet – Focus on nutrient dense foods.
- Stay active – Aim for 150 minutes of exercise per week.
- Avoid smoking – Smoking worsens complications.
- Get regular screenings – Check eyes, kidneys, feet, blood pressure and cholesterol.
- Manage stress – High stress can increase blood sugar.
- Get enough sleep – Lack of sleep disrupts metabolism.
Making lifestyle changes and sticking with your treatment plan offers the best chance of living a long, healthy life with diabetes. Work closely with your healthcare team and take an active role in managing your condition.
Can complications be prevented?
One of the biggest threats to life expectancy with diabetes are the complications that can occur when blood sugar levels remain elevated over many years. Some potential complications include:
- Heart disease and stroke
- Nerve damage (neuropathy)
- Kidney disease (nephropathy)
- Eye damage (retinopathy)
- Foot damage
The good news is that the risk of developing complications can be significantly reduced through diligent diabetes management. Getting blood sugar and blood pressure down to target levels has been shown to prevent or slow the progression of complications.
Regular screening and treatment for any early signs of complications is also key. With vigilant monitoring and care, it’s possible to live 30 years or more with minimal impact from complications.
Advancements improving life expectancy
Exciting advancements in diabetes technology and treatment are also helping improve lifespan for people with diabetes:
- Insulin pumps and CGMs – These devices automate insulin delivery and provide real-time glucose readings to prevent highs and lows.
- New medications – New drug classes improve blood sugar control and protect organs.
- Pancreas transplants – For some with type 1 diabetes, this can eliminate the need for insulin.
- Artificial pancreas – Closed loop systems automate insulin dosing via a pump and CGM.
- Weight loss surgery – Procedures like gastric bypass can lead to diabetes remission for some.
Ongoing research brings hope that further innovations to safely control blood sugar will emerge, increasing healthy lifespan for people with diabetes.
Maintaining motivation over decades
Living with any chronic disease for decades can be challenging. Diabetes requires daily management and sticking to care plans. After years or decades, it’s normal for motivation levels to fluctuate. Here are some tips to maintain motivation:
- Adjust goals over time – Goals may change as life circumstances change.
- Focus on how managing diabetes makes you feel – Avoid burnout from just chasing numbers.
- Connect with others who have lived long-term with diabetes – They can inspire you.
- Celebrate successes – Recognize achievements in managing diabetes.
- Make lifestyle changes gradually – Small steps are more sustainable.
- Consider meeting with counselors or therapists – For managing stress and motivation.
- Remember reasons for optimizing health – Such as enjoying family or activities.
While managing diabetes for decades on end is not easy, taking it step by step and celebrating progress along the way can help sustain motivation over many years.
Potential life expectancy for those diagnosed in their 20s, 40s and 60s
Life expectancy can vary substantially depending on the age diabetes is diagnosed and how early management is implemented:
Diagnosed in 20s:
- Most likely type 1 diabetes diagnosis
- If managed early and aggressively, life expectancy may approach early 70s on average
- With ongoing innovations in technology and treatment, living into 80s and beyond is possible
Diagnosed in 40s:
- Can be type 1 or type 2 diagnosis
- Average life expectancy around late 70s with proper management
- For type 2, weight loss and lifestyle changes early on maximize lifespan
Diagnosed in 60s:
- Usually a type 2 diagnosis
- Average life expectancy in mid-to-late 70s
- May already have complications present requiring aggressive treatment
- Fast action to optimize health can help minimize impact of complications
The key message is that for all ages, early and intensive diabetes managementoffers the best chance for a long, healthy life.
Stories of people living decades with diabetes
Despite the challenges of diabetes, many people prove it is possible to live a long and full life:
- Ginger Vieira was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at age 25. She is now 44 years old and a successful author and diabetes advocate.
- Ruth Hertzberg-Longe was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 1919 at age 5. She lived until 2003, to the age of 88.
- James Morris was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in his 40s. He is now 89 years old and runs a 400 acre farm in Kentucky.
- Michelle Alm, RN, was diagnosed with type 1 at age 22. She is now 70 years old and still works full time as a nurse.
These inspiring individuals and many others prove that with dedication, diabetes can be managed for decades.
Conclusion
While diabetes does present ongoing challenges, with today’s treatment options and a diligent self-care routine, living a long, high-quality life is possible. For many people, 30 years or more with diabetes is achievable. Key factors are early diagnosis, intensive management of blood sugar and other risk factors, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and leveraging advances in technology. Diabetes requires daily effort, but taking a long-term view on health and celebrating small victories along the way allows many to thrive with diabetes into old age. The future looks bright, and diabetes is not a life sentence – it is possible to live well for decades if you stay focused on health.