The International Diabetes Federation (IDF), at World Congress of Diabetes 2025 at Bangkok, has officially designated malnutrition-related diabetes as a distinct form of the disease, now classified as Type 5 diabetes.
- This form of diabetes primarily affects lean, malnourished adolescents and young adults in low- and middle-income countries, particularly across Asia and Africa.
- Unlike Type 2 diabetes, which is linked to obesity and accounts for the majority of cases globally, Type 5 diabetes stems from chronic undernutrition.
- Researchers estimate that 20 to 25 million people worldwide may be living with this condition, which has long been under-diagnosed and poorly understood.
Historical Context:
- First described over 70 years ago, with subsequent studies highlighting its prevalence in impoverished regions.
- Recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1985 as a separate form of diabetes.
- The classification was removed in 1999 due to insufficient data and follow-up studies.
Despite its high global burden—more common than tuberculosis and nearly as prevalent as HIV/AIDS—the absence of a formal classification has hampered research, diagnosis, and treatment.
(Source: TOI)
