Latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA) is similar to both type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes. Like type 1 diabetes, LADA is an autoimmune disease of the pancreas. This means the body's immune system attacks the cells in the pancreas that are supposed to make insulin. But LADA is also like type 2 diabetes, because it causes insulin resistance. This means that insulin does not work as well as it should in a person's body.