text: what is diabetes miletus?   diabetes is a disease in which the body is unable to produce or unable to properly use and store glucose (a form of sugar). glucose backs up in the bloodstream — causing one’s blood glucose (sometimes referred to as blood sugar) to rise too high.   there are two major types of diabetes. in type 1 (fomerly called juvenile-onset or insulin-dependent) diabetes, the body completely stops producing any insulin, a hormone that enables the body to use glucose found in foods for energy. people with type 1 diabetes must take daily insulin injections to survive. this form of diabetes usually develops in children or young adults, but can occur at any age. type 2 (formerly called adult-onset or non insulin-dependent) diabetes results when the body doesn’t produce enough insulin and/or is unable to use insulin properly (insulin resistance). this form of diabetes usually occurs in people who are over 40, overweight, and have a family history of diabetes, although today it is increasingly occurring in younger people, particularly adolescents.