Final answer:
Type 1 diabetes is characterized by the autoimmune destruction of pancreatic beta cells, leading to insulin production deficiency. Insulin injections are necessary to manage the condition, and it is not associated with insulin resistance or obesity.
Step-by-step explanation:
The characteristic that applies to type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM) is the autoimmune destruction of pancreatic betacells.
Type 1 diabetes, often referred to as juvenile diabetes, is a chronic autoimmune disorder where the immune system erroneously attacks the insulin-secreting beta cells located in the pancreas.
As a result, this leads to insulin production deficiency because the pancreas can no longer produce adequate insulin, which is critical for the regulation of blood glucose levels.
Individuals with type 1 diabetes must manage their condition with insulin injections. Unlike type 2 diabetes, type 1 is not associated with insulin resistance or typically linked with obesity.