In a groundbreaking development, scientists have formally recognized a new form of diabetes associated with malnutrition, naming it “Type 5 diabetes.” This important step, announced at the World Diabetes Congress in Bangkok on April 8, 2025, brings attention to a health crisis affecting millions worldwide — especially among young people in low- and middle-income countries.
What is Type 5 Diabetes?
Type 5 diabetes is a newly classified form of the disease that primarily results from malnutrition. Unlike the well-known Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, which are primarily linked to genetic factors, autoimmune reactions, and lifestyle choices, Type 5 diabetes arises when chronic undernutrition impairs the body’s ability to produce insulin.
Malnutrition weakens the pancreas, the organ responsible for insulin production, leading to dangerously low blood sugar regulation. This form of diabetes often manifests in younger individuals whose growth and development have been severely compromised by insufficient nutrition.
Formal Recognition by the International Diabetes Federation
The International Diabetes Federation (IDF), a global authority on diabetes research and policy, voted to classify this malnutrition-linked condition as a distinct type of diabetes during its World Diabetes Congress. The official recognition followed years of research, advocacy, and mounting clinical evidence highlighting the need to distinguish Type 5 diabetes from other forms.
Meredith Hawkins, a prominent professor at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and a key advocate for this recognition, emphasized the significance of the IDF’s decision. According to Hawkins, the disease had long remained “undiagnosed and misunderstood,” depriving millions of patients of appropriate diagnosis and treatment strategies.
“The IDF’s designation of the condition as Type 5 diabetes is an important step forward in raising global awareness and allocating much-needed resources to combat this hidden epidemic,” she said.
How Type 5 Diabetes Differs from Type 1 and Type 2
Most people are familiar with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes:
- Type 1 Diabetes is an autoimmune condition where the body’s immune system attacks the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas, usually beginning in childhood or adolescence.
- Type 2 Diabetes is often associated with obesity and lifestyle factors, where the body either becomes resistant to insulin or fails to produce enough of it.
Both types primarily involve problems with blood sugar regulation due to impaired insulin function. However, Type 5 diabetes differs fundamentally because it stems from malnutrition-induced pancreatic damage. In Type 5 diabetes:
- The pancreas cannot produce enough insulin simply because it lacks the necessary nutrients to develop and function properly.
- The condition may emerge early in life, often during critical periods of childhood development when proper nutrition is essential.
- It is more prevalent in economically disadvantaged regions, where access to sufficient, nutritious food is limited.
The Scope of the Problem: 25 Million Affected
Current estimates suggest that around 25 million people globally are living with Type 5 diabetes. The burden is especially heavy in parts of Asia, Africa, and Latin America, where poverty and food insecurity remain rampant.
Many individuals affected by Type 5 diabetes remain undiagnosed or are incorrectly diagnosed with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes, leading to inappropriate treatment plans that fail to address the root cause — malnutrition.
Misdiagnosis can have tragic consequences, including preventable complications such as blindness, kidney failure, and early death.
The Global Diabetes Crisis in Numbers
The urgency of addressing Type 5 diabetes becomes even more clear when placed in the context of the broader global diabetes crisis:
- A 2022 study estimated that 830 million people worldwide are living with some form of diabetes.
- The vast majority have Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes.
- Experts warn that without targeted interventions, diabetes cases could skyrocket to over 1 billion by 2050.
The recognition of Type 5 diabetes now spotlights a segment of the global population that had been neglected in previous healthcare strategies.
Why Recognition Matters: Awareness, Diagnosis, and Treatment
Recognizing Type 5 diabetes is more than just assigning a name — it can transform public health responses. Here’s why this classification is crucial:
- Targeted Research and Funding: With formal recognition, researchers can now advocate for funding specifically aimed at studying Type 5 diabetes, understanding its pathophysiology, and developing effective treatment models.
- Accurate Diagnosis: Health professionals can now differentiate Type 5 diabetes from other forms, leading to better diagnosis and patient outcomes.
- Public Health Initiatives: Global health agencies can design interventions that address the root causes, such as improving childhood nutrition programs and supporting food security initiatives in vulnerable communities.
- Tailored Treatments: Rather than applying inappropriate treatment protocols designed for Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes, healthcare providers can now focus on treating the underlying malnutrition in Type 5 diabetes patients.
Challenges Ahead: Raising Awareness and Building Infrastructure
Despite this major step forward, several challenges remain:
- Awareness Campaigns: Governments and NGOs must work to educate the public and healthcare professionals about the symptoms, causes, and treatment of Type 5 diabetes.
- Healthcare Access: Many regions where Type 5 diabetes is prevalent also struggle with a lack of healthcare infrastructure, making diagnosis and treatment more difficult.
- Stigma: In many societies, conditions linked to poverty or malnutrition carry a social stigma that can prevent individuals from seeking help.
- Policy Action: Strong political will is required to improve food security, healthcare access, and educational outreach to prevent and manage Type 5 diabetes effectively.
The Road Ahead: Hope Through Recognition
While the discovery and classification of Type 5 diabetes bring hope, they also underscore the deep inequalities in global healthcare access. Ending the epidemic of Type 5 diabetes will require concerted efforts across multiple sectors: healthcare, nutrition, education, and economic development.
By shining a spotlight on this overlooked condition, scientists, policymakers, and health advocates have taken a crucial first step. The next challenge will be ensuring that recognition translates into real-world action that saves lives and improves health outcomes for millions of vulnerable people around the world.
