Medical professionals are advocating for the global acknowledgment of a newly identified diabetes variant associated with chronic malnutrition, tentatively named “type 5 diabetes.” This initiative aims to address the rising incidence of the disease in impoverished areas where food insecurity is prevalent. Unlike type 2 diabetes, which is commonly linked to obesity and insulin resistance, or type 1 diabetes, typically diagnosed in childhood due to insufficient insulin production, this novel form predominantly impacts individuals who are undernourished and have a low body weight.
According to recent findings published in The Lancet Global Health, more than 25 million people-mainly residing in low-income nations-are affected by this condition. It frequently manifests in individuals younger than 30 years old and results in impaired insulin secretion, though its severity is generally milder compared to type 1 diabetes.
The authors of the study have called on the international diabetes community to officially classify type 5 diabetes, echoing a consensus reached by the International Diabetes Federation earlier this year. While types 3 and 4 diabetes remain unclassified, experts concur that diabetes linked to malnutrition deserves distinct recognition.
The concept of malnutrition-related diabetes is not entirely unprecedented. During the 1980s and 1990s, the World Health Organization recognized a similar category but later removed it in 1999 due to insufficient agreement on whether malnutrition alone could cause diabetes. Since then, studies from countries such as Bangladesh, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, Uganda, Pakistan, and Rwanda have provided mounting evidence supporting this connection.
Despite accumulating data, the precise biological pathways linking malnutrition to this diabetes subtype remain elusive. Additionally, it is unclear how well current diabetes treatments-primarily designed to address weight management-work for type 5 diabetes. Experts stress that the most effective strategy involves tackling the root causes of poverty and food deprivation. Initiatives that enhance access to nutrient-dense, affordable foods rich in protein and complex carbohydrates-such as chickpeas, beans, enriched cereals, and oil-fortified grains-could be instrumental in both preventing and managing this disease.
The researchers hope that formal recognition of type 5 diabetes will galvanize global efforts and funding to combat a condition that disproportionately burdens some of the world’s most disadvantaged communities.
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