International Diabetes Federation recognizes type 5 diabetes — ScienceAlert
The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) officially recognized type 5 diabetes in 2025 — a form of the disease previously referred to as malnutrition-related diabetes mellitus. The organization is also calling on other health bodies, including the World Health Organization, to follow this decision, ScienceAlert reports.
The disease has been studied for decades
This form of diabetes was first described in Jamaica in 1955. In the 1980s, the WHO recognized this classification, but withdrew it in 1999 due to a lack of evidence. For decades, scientists debated the existence of a separate type and lacked agreed approaches to its diagnosis and treatment.
According to the cited data, type 5 diabetes may affect up to 25 million people worldwide, primarily in low- and middle-income countries. It most often concerns people in Asia and Africa who face severe food insecurity. This form of diabetes can often be mistakenly diagnosed as other types of the disease.
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A distinct disease mechanism
Studies in humans and animals suggest that chronic nutrient deficiency may have a lasting effect on the pancreas, impairing its ability to secrete insulin and regulate glucose levels. One proposed mechanism is impaired pancreatic development due to prolonged lack of nutrition.
A small study in southern India showed that patients with malnutrition-related diabetes have insulin deficiency but remain sensitive to it — unlike people with type 2 diabetes, who develop insulin resistance.
The IDF established a type 5 diabetes working group led by endocrinologist Meredith Hawkins. It is to develop formal diagnostic criteria and treatment recommendations, create a global research registry, and prepare training for medical workers. In a review published after the disease’s official recognition, Hawkins and her colleagues warned that inappropriate use of insulin can cause hypoglycemia, especially amid food insecurity and limited ability to monitor glucose levels.
