New Type 5 diabetes: New form of disease linked to malnutrition affects millions of kids worldwide

 A global task force is formed to investigate and set up rules for diagnosis and treatment

The Week,: April 17, 2025 : In a breakthrough, a new form of diabetes-Type 5 diabetes- has been officially recognised, marking a pivotal shift in the global understanding of the disease. 

Unlike the more familiar Type 1 and Type 2, Type 5 diabetes primarily affects underweight individuals, particularly children. This lesser-known form of diabetes, which affects an estimated 20-25 million people worldwide, predominantly in Asia and Africa, is now under rigorous global investigation. 

What is Type 5 diabetes? 

Type 5 diabetes usually affects lean people who have faced long-term undernutrition, especially during childhood. The condition was announced by Professor Peter Schwarz, president of the International Diabetes Federation, at the World Congress of Diabetes 2025 held in Bangkok. 

A global task force has been formed to investigate this condition more. 

How is Type 5 diabetes different from Type 1 and Type 2? 

Type 1 diabetes is an auto-immune disease that prevents your pancreas from making insulin. While, Type 2 diabetes is a stage when the body cannot use insulin correctly and sugar builds up in the blood. 

In many cases, those with Type 5 diabetes may not need insulin, making it different from the Type 1 classification of diabetes. Oral medications are used to treat those identified with Type 5 diabetes. 

However, those affected with Type 5 diabetes have a hard time making enough insulin, which helps control blood sugar levels. But unlike people with Type 2 diabetes, their bodies can still respond well to insulin. 

While announcing the new classification, Schwarz said that the recognition of Type 5 diabetes marks a historic shift in how we approach diabetes globally. "For too long this condition has gone unrecognised, affecting millions of people and depriving them of access to adapted care." 

A new Type 5 Diabetes Working Group has been formed to set clear rules of diagnosis and treatment. 

This is not the first time the maltnutrition-related diabetes was identified. This form of diabetes was first taken note of in the 1950s, however, there was not enough data on the condition. The World Health Organisation (WHO) recognised it as a separate type in 1985, but removed it in 1999 due to lack of data. 

Dr Meredith Hawkins from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York has been studying this condition for years. In 2010, she set up the Global Diabetes Institute that focused entirely on this condition. A breakthrough came when her team in India confirmed that the patients with malnutrition-related diabetes had very low insulin levels but not due to resistance as thought. 

Studies were later conducted and meetings were held in India to review the data before declaring the separate type of diabetes officially.