Which statement correctly identifies Type 1 diabetes?

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Type 1 diabetes is autoimmune destruction of pancreatic beta cells, which are the cells that produce insulin. When the immune system attacks and slowly kills these cells, the body has little to no insulin left. Without insulin, glucose stays in the blood instead of getting into cells, leading to high blood sugar and symptoms like frequent urination, thirst, weight loss, and fatigue. Because insulin is essentially absent, this form of diabetes requires lifelong insulin therapy and carries a risk of ketoacidosis if not treated promptly.

This differs from the other ideas: gestational diabetes occurs during pregnancy due to hormonal changes that cause insulin resistance, not autoimmune beta-cell destruction. Insulin resistance is the hallmark of Type 2 diabetes, which is more closely tied to obesity and metabolic syndrome. Obesity is a key risk factor for Type 2 rather than Type 1.