Fact checked by Nick Blackmer

• Lance Bass of NSYNC revealed he has type 1.5 diabetes, a form of autoimmune diabetes that is often mistaken for type 2.
• Because type 1.5 develops slowly in adulthood, Bass spent years trying treatments that don’t work before receiving the correct diagnosis.
• In a new interview with Health, Bass opens up about misdiagnosis, diabetes management, and his long-term health as a father.

Singer Lance Bass, a former member of the boy band NSYNC, is one of up to 50 million people worldwide with an often misunderstood form of diabetes: type 1.5.

Also known as latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA), type 1.5 presents similarly to type 1 but develops in adulthood, so it's often mistaken for type 2. In fact, up to 15% of people diagnosed with type 2 diabetes may actually have LADA.

Bass was diagnosed with LADA when he was 45 years old—several years after being misdiagnosed with type 2 diabetes. In a new interview with Health, Bass, now 47, opened up about the shock of his misdiagnosis, how he’s currently managing LADA, and his focus on long-term health, especially as a father.

‘There Must Be a Mistake’

Bass’s blood sugar problems began in 2019 when he learned he had prediabetes, meaning his glucose levels were elevated but not high enough to be considered type 2 diabetes.

“I didn’t really take it seriously,” Bass said. “When someone tells you that you’re on the border of being type 2, and you’re eating so healthy and you’re exercising, you’re like, ‘There must be a mistake.’”

About a year later, his blood sugar levels were even higher. Bass’s A1C, a measure of average glucose over the last three months, was 10%—well above the diabetic threshold of 6.5%. He was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.

“That’s when I realized: I’m type 2. I gotta start working on this,” Bass said.

For about two years, he tried to lower his blood sugar through diet, exercise, and medication. But his glucose levels wouldn’t budge. This resistance to treatment made his doctors realize that Bass didn’t have type 2 after all, but type 1.5.

Like type 1 diabetes, LADA is an autoimmune condition that prevents the pancreas from producing insulin, the hormone that regulates blood sugar. But LADA develops more slowly than type 1, which is often diagnosed in adolescence.

When he first found out he had LADA, Bass said he was in denial, thinking, “This can’t be happening to me.” Type 2 diabetes could be reversed, but type 1.5 is chronic. “That’s when I realized I’d have to be on insulin for the rest of my life,” he said.

Bass was also confused, wondering how his doctors could have missed this. About 5% to 10% of LADA patients are initially misdiagnosed with type 2 diabetes, largely because LADA is generally diagnosed after age 30.

“My doctors didn’t even think about 1.5 when they were diagnosing me,” Bass added. “It’s even rare for them.”

‘Trial and Error’

With the correct diagnosis, Bass began taking insulin to help manage his blood sugar. He uses a Dexcom G7, a continuous glucose monitor that tracks blood sugar levels in real time. The device communicates with an insulin pump that administers his medication as needed, which has been a “game changer,” said Bass, who is a Dexcom partner.

“You go 40 years of your life without having to think about diabetes or bringing your pens, your insulin out with you. I was always leaving it in the refrigerator,” Bass said. “Now with my G7 and insulin pump, it’s been just incredible that [I] don’t have an extra thing to think about.”

Bass also found a diabetes community on Instagram that taught him tips for managing his glucose levels, like starting meals with protein before eating carbs. He started to recognize patterns in his blood sugar levels, too; Bass’s glucose always spikes in the morning, so he takes insulin right after waking up. “A lot of that is trial and error,” he added.

Eventually, Bass’s lifestyle became even healthier than it was pre-diagnosis. He said LADA motivated him to eat better, exercise more, and monitor the health of his whole body. (Over time, high blood sugar from diabetes can cause health complications across the body.)

“A good silver lining to getting this was to look at my overall health and my longevity,” Bass said.

‘I Want to Be There for My Kids’

Besides his type 1.5 diagnosis, Bass said his twin 4-year-olds have been a major motivator for maintaining his long-term health. “I want to be there for my kids—and hopefully grandkids,” he said.

In fatherhood, “you start thinking about longevity and what you want to pass on to your kids," Bass added. “One thing I really want to pass on to my children is a healthy lifestyle.”

That means making sure his children are active and teaching them about nutrition. Bass has also taught them about diabetes by being open and honest about his LADA.

“Every time I give myself insulin, take my blood—they’re right there with me," Bass said. “I want them to see that. I want them to not be scared of it.” Thanks to this exposure, his kids have already become “total champs” at their doctor's appointments, Bass added.

‘Look Out for Those Signs’

Beyond his family, it’s important to Bass to educate the public about his condition, too. He had never heard of type 1.5 before being diagnosed, and he wishes it could have been caught sooner. “Those few years really wreaked havoc on my body,” Bass said.

He’s now one of the only public figures with LADA, and he’s already had people tell him that they caught their own type 1.5 diabetes thanks to his story. “I just want to make sure that people of a certain age, like myself‚ look out for those signs,” he said.

“When your doctor is telling you, ‘You’re prediabetic’ or ‘Your A1C is high,’ obviously look for type 1, type 2,” Bass added. “But just have in the back of your head that there is a possibility this could be 1.5.”

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Kristina Dawson