Type 1 diabetes commonly presents with which feature?

• A. Gradual onset with obesity and insulin resistance
• B. No polyuria or polydipsia
• C. Polyuria, polydipsia, weight loss due to insulin deficiency; often in younger individuals
• D. Incidental diagnosis with no symptoms

Answer: (C)

Type 1 diabetes most commonly presents with polyuria, polydipsia, and weight loss due to insulin deficiency, often in younger individuals. When insulin is lacking, blood glucose rises and spills into the urine, causing osmotic diuresis that leads to frequent urination and dehydration, which triggers increased thirst. Without insulin, the body can’t use glucose properly and starts breaking down fat and muscle, resulting in weight loss. This pattern is typical in children and young adults and can onset acutely. The other descriptions don’t fit: gradual onset with obesity and insulin resistance points to type 2 diabetes; no polyuria or polydipsia would be unusual with hyperglycemia; and an incidental asymptomatic diagnosis is not characteristic of new-onset type 1.