Background <p>Despite the challenges of adolescence and the additional burden of type 1 diabetes, little is known about how perceptions of meaning in life influence health-related behaviors in this population.</p> Aim <p>To investigate the relationship between meaning in life and healthy lifestyle behaviors among adolescents with type 1 diabetes.</p> Material and methods <p>This descriptive correlational study included 120 adolescents with type 1 diabetes between April 15 and December 25, 2024. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews using the Descriptive Characteristics Form, Meaning in Life Scale, and Adolescent Lifestyle Scale. Independent samples <i>t</i>-test, Mann–Whitney <i>U</i>, Kruskal–Wallis test, Pearson correlation, and simple linear regression were used for analysis.</p> Results <p>The mean age of participants was 14.55 ± 2.12&#xa0;years, and 55.8% were male. The total mean scores were 48.58 ± 11.33 for the Meaning in Life Scale and 121.14 ± 17.89 for the Adolescent Lifestyle Scale. A moderate positive correlation was found between meaning in life and healthy lifestyle behaviors (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.05), and weak positive correlations were found with the sub-dimensions of health responsibility, physical activity, nutrition, and stress management (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.05). Meaning in life explained 19.4% of the variance in healthy lifestyle behaviors.</p> Conclusions <p>Meaning in life is positively associated with health-promoting behaviors in adolescents with type 1 diabetes. Although causality cannot be inferred from this cross-sectional study, incorporating meaning-focused assessment and support into care may be beneficial and warrants evaluation in longitudinal and interventional research.</p>