This cross-sectional study describes the physical development of 62 diabetic patients who comprised one-third of all 10-17-year-old Estonian children with Type 1 diabetes. Diabetic children were shorter than healthy Estonian children with a mean corrected height standard deviation score (SDS) of -0.78 +/- 1.37. Diabetic children living in rural areas were significantly shorter than urban diabetic children (p < 0.05). A significant negative correlation was found between the duration of diabetes and the corrected height SDS (p < 0.01; r = -0.36). Current glycated haemoglobin (HbA1) (mean 11.7 +/- 2.2%) was inversely correlated to insulin dosage (p = 0.01) and to availability of home blood glucose monitoring (p = 0.03). Stepwise regression analysis showed that duration of diabetes (p = 0.02) and urban or rural abode (p = 0.04), but not age at onset of diabetes current HbA1 level, availability of home blood glucose monitoring or socio-economic status, influenced significantly corrected height standard deviation score (SDS). Despite having the same body mass index, diabetic children, especially girls, had thicker biceps and triceps skinfolds than controls. Estonian teenage diabetic children were shorter than healthy children and had increased biceps and triceps skinfold thickness without being overweight. Duration of disease was the predominant adverse influence on growth.