The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) has officially recognized a fifth form of diabetes in 2025, after decades of controversy.
It’s now urging other health authorities, like the World Health Organization (WHO), to follow suit.
It was first described in 1955 in Jamaica, then forgotten about for many years. Even once it was acknowledged by the WHO in the 1980s, the diagnosis created controversy.
According to reports published by ScienceAlert, this newly identified Type 5 diabetes is believed to affect around 25 million people worldwide, particularly in low- and middle-income countries where access to medical care is limited. It was previously referred to as “malnutrition-related diabetes,” but is now considered a distinct medical condition.
Diabetes is traditionally classified into several main types, each with different causes. Type 1 is an autoimmune condition in which the immune system destroys insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. Type 2 is linked to insulin resistance and is often associated with lifestyle and metabolic factors.
Other forms include Type 3c, which develops due to damage to the pancreas caused by illness or injury, and gestational diabetes, which occurs temporarily during pregnancy due to hormonal changes. The newly recognized Type 5 diabetes differs significantly from these categories, as it is primarily associated with chronic malnutrition that impairs the pancreas’s ability to produce insulin.
Unlike Type 2 diabetes, patients with this form typically do not exhibit insulin resistance, but instead suffer from insufficient insulin production. This distinction means that standard treatments used for other types may be ineffective or, in some cases, potentially harmful if not properly adjusted.
Research suggests that prolonged malnutrition, especially during childhood, can cause long-term damage to pancreatic function, leading to difficulties in regulating blood sugar levels later in life.
Despite its official recognition, experts say major challenges remain, particularly due to the lack of clear diagnostic criteria in the past, which led to misclassification and limited understanding of its prevalence.
Concerns have also been raised about treatment approaches, as inappropriate use of insulin could increase the risk of severe hypoglycemia, especially in regions with limited healthcare access and food insecurity.
To address these challenges, the International Diabetes Federation has established a dedicated task force to develop diagnostic guidelines, treatment standards, and a global registry for cases of this newly recognized condition.
Experts emphasize that while recognition is an important step, extensive research is still needed to fully understand the disease and its strong links to nutrition and socio-economic conditions.
