Type 5 Diabetes Officially Recognised: Get All the Details

A new type of diabetes has been officially recognised and named Type 5 diabetes. The newly recognised diabetes is not linked with obesity, but with malnutrition. The International Diabetes Federation Congress, in its meeting held in Bangkok, Thailand, from 7 to 10 April 2025, officially recognised the disease as Type 5 diabetes or Maturity-Onset Diabetes of the Young.

The official recognition of the disease is expected to pave the way for better treatment of patients suffering from Type 5 diabetes. 

History of Type 5 Diabetes  

Type 5 diabetes was first identified in Jamaica in 1955. The World Health Organisation (WHO) classified the disease as brocalculous pancreatic diabetes and protein-deficient pancreatic diabetes. 

However, the WHO dropped this distinction in 1999  due to a lack of evidence that malnutrition or protein deficiency causes diabetes.

At the Bangkok conference, the experts agreed that malnutrition causes diabetes, and they 

agreed to recognise Type 5 diabetes as a form of non-communicable disease.

What causes Type 5 Diabetes?

At the Bangkok Congress, the scientific community agreed that malnutrition was the main cause of Type 5 diabetes. They also recognised that it was primarily prevalent among young individuals in low- and middle-income countries of Asia and Africa. 

It affects up to 2.5 crore people, primarily young men in Asia and Africa, who have a body mass index of less than 19 kg/m².

Other factors causing Type 5 diabetes are;

• Deficiencies of  micronutrients, vitamins and proteins 
• Chronic pancreatitis,
• High carbohydrate diet,
• Genetic factors,
• Exposure to pollutants or toxins,
• Limited access to healthcare and poor sanitary conditions. 

Prolonged malnutrition impairs the development and function of the pancreas, specifically affecting the insulin-secreting beta cells.

What is Diabetes and Type 1 & 2 

Diabetes refers to a medical condition in which the patient's body either does not produce enough insulin or does not produce any insulin at all.

The pancreas secretes insulin.

Glucose is the primary source of energy in the human body, primarily derived from carbohydrates. Glucose is carried by blood to various parts of the body where energy is needed.

The insulin plays a key role in helping glucose reach its intended destination. If the body does not produce enough insulin or produces insufficient insulin, glucose accumulates in the blood, leading to several health complications.

Type 1 Diabetes 

Type 1 is an autoimmune disease. The body’s immune system identifies the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas as pathogens (enemies). They attack and destroy insulin-producing cells of the pancreas.

Type 1 is mainly found in young and children.

Type 2 Diabetes

The pancreatic cell does not produce enough insulin. Sometimes the body cells do not respond to insulin (an instance of insulin resistance). Typically, Type 2 diabetes is mainly found in adults, but it can also affect children.