Telomeres regulate cell aging. Shorter telomeres have been associated with vascular disease and risk factors. White blood cell telomere length (T/S) was measured (qPCR) in a cross-sectional study of 144 Type 1 diabetic adults (T1D; 83F, mean±SD age 38±14 yrs; including 54 with microvascular complications) and 118 non-diabetic (NonDB) subjects (64F, age 36±14 yrs,). We related T/S to age, vascular elasticity, renal function, lipids, inflammation, glycaemia and T1D duration. Age- and sex-adjusted T/S was 1.51±0.04 in T1D vs. 1.65±0.04 AU in NonDB; p=0.01. T/S correlated with age: NonDB, r=-0.21; p=0.02; T1D r=-0.33; p=0.00005, and T1D duration r=-0.21; p=0.01. For each decade age increase T/S was 7% and 11% shorter in NonDB and T1D respectively, p=0.01. In NonDB T/S correlated with CRP r=-0.23; p-0.02, small artery elasticity r=0.27; p=0.004, systemic vascular resistance r=-0.22; p=0.02 and GFR r=0.27; p=0.004 only. In T1D T/S did not differ by complications, nor correlate with vascular elasticity, glycaemia, renal function, lipids or CRP. Age, CRP and T1D were independent determinants of T/S in the combined group. In summary: Aging, T1D and T1D duration are associated with shorter telomeres, in keeping with accelerated aging in T1D. T1D telomere length did not differ by complications nor relate to vascular health or risk factors. In NonDB telomere length related to vascular health, renal function and inflammation. Longitudinal and intervention studies are merited.