The number of people living with type 1 diabetes worldwide is projected to jump nearly 30% over the next two decades, from 9.4 million today to 12.1 million by 2049.New cases are expected to climb too, rising 14% globally.The impact could be substantial in the U.S., where more than half a million additional people are projected to be living with type 1 diabetes by 2049.Researchers say high rates in the U.S. and other wealthy countries, including Australia and the UK, are likely linked to genetics, environmental triggers and high detection rates.The largest relative increase is expected in low-income countries, as better access to insulin and glucose monitoring improves survival.The burden already extends heavily to younger people: those under 20 accounted for an estimated 42% of new cases in 2025.The model also projects all-cause deaths among people with type 1 diabetes will rise from about 361,000 to 538,000 by 2049.The authors say the findings underscore “the need to continue to improve access to insulin and quality of care, particularly in low-resource settings.”These findings will be presented at the Annual Meeting of The European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD)Author Affiliations: Steno Diabetes Center, University of Edinburgh, University of Helsinki, University Hospital of Southern Denmark, University of Geneva.Sign up for our weekly HealthDay newsletter