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D3.3.4—Diabetes

Diabetes disrupts blood glucose control through insufficient insulin production or reduced cellular response to insulin in human physiology in human physiology.

Syllabus
First assessment 2025
Objective
D3.3.4
Level
HL

Exam analysis

Chance of appearing9%of analysed past papers
Latest appearanceMay 2022
Most common paperPaper2
Typical marks1–2

Common command terms

  • Describe
  • Identify
  • Explain
  • State
  • Discuss
  • Analyse
  • Outline

Recent exam appearances

May 2022Paper2 ["HL"] · TZ25(b)(ii)[ 1 ]D3.3.4—Diabetes
May 2022Paper2 ["HL"] · TZ25(b)(i)[ 2 ]D3.3.4—Diabetes
November 2019Paper3 ["HL"] · TZ019(e)[ 1 ]D3.3.4—Diabetes
May 2017Paper1 ["HL"] · TZ125[ 1 ]D3.3.4—Diabetes
November 2016Paper3 ["HL"] · TZ019(b)[ 2 ]D3.3.4—Diabetes
Practice this objective

Coverage 2013–2022 · Updated 16 Jul 2026

Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes Disrupt Different Parts of Control

Diabetes mellitus causes persistent difficulty controlling blood glucose, but type 1 and type 2 begin with different physiological failures.

Feature Type 1 Type 2
Main physiological change Autoimmune destruction of pancreatic beta cells causes little or no insulin secretion Target cells respond poorly to insulin; beta-cell function may later decline
Important risk pattern Autoimmune susceptibility; not prevented by lifestyle Risk rises with genetic susceptibility, excess body fat and low physical activity
Management Insulin replacement, glucose monitoring and coordinated diet/exercise Activity, diet and healthy body mass can reduce risk and aid control; medication and sometimes insulin may be required

With too little effective insulin signalling, uptake and storage do not adequately reduce blood glucose after a meal, so hyperglycaemia persists.

Lifestyle is a risk modifier for type 2, not a moral diagnosis or the sole cause. A single high reading does not distinguish the two types.

Diabetes exam focus

Assessment in practice

1–2 marks
How it is assessed

This objective is assessed through structured response, commonly using Describe / Identify / Explain.

Command terms

Describe / Identify / Explain / State / Discuss / Analyse / Outline

What earns marks

Build the answer around this relationship: Type I diabetes involves insufficient insulin production.

Representative question

Question 1

[Maximum number: 5]

Outline type II diabetes.

Retrieve the Core Homeostasis Route

Core D3.3 is secure when every example becomes a feedback route: identify the variable, detect deviation, coordinate a response, activate effectors, and reverse the change. Glucose and temperature are the key worked examples.

  • stable internal environment within narrow limits
  • detects deviation from set point and reverses it
  • insulin lowers high glucose; glucagon raises low glucose
  • hypothalamus coordinates cooling or warming responses

Core Homeostasis

Core homeostasis answers should use a control-loop structure, not a list of responses. The response starts with the variable and set point, then explains how the body detects deviation and activates the response that reverses it. Apply that loop to glucose, diabetes, or temperature.

  • Define homeostasis as maintaining stable internal conditions within narrow limits.
  • Use negative feedback language: receptor, coordinator, effector, set point, and reverse the deviation.
  • Apply the loop to insulin/glucagon, diabetes types, or hot/cold thermoregulation responses.

Concept essentials

  • Type I diabetes involves insufficient insulin production.
  • Type II diabetes involves reduced target-cell response to insulin.
  • Diabetes can cause high blood glucose and glucose loss in urine.