Type 5 Diabetes: A Long-Debated Condition Gains Official Recognition

The International Diabetes Federation officially recognized a fifth type of diabetes in 2025, ending decades of scientific debate and calling on the World Health Organization and global health institutions to adopt the new classification. The announcement marks a significant shift in how diabetes is understood and diagnosed worldwide.

Known as Type 5 diabetes, the condition was previously referred to as malnutrition-related diabetes mellitus. Unlike other recognized forms of diabetes, it is not associated with obesity, lifestyle factors, autoimmune causes, or pregnancy. Instead, it develops as a result of chronic undernutrition, particularly during early childhood, which leads to long-term metabolic damage.

Health experts estimate that around 25 million people worldwide may be affected by this form of diabetes, with the vast majority living in low- and middle-income countries. The condition is especially prevalent in parts of Asia and Africa, where poverty, food insecurity, and limited access to healthcare often delay diagnosis and treatment.

Type 5 diabetes differs biologically from other forms of the disease. Patients experience a partial deficiency in insulin production while remaining sensitive to insulin, rather than suffering from insulin resistance or complete destruction of pancreatic cells. This distinction makes treatment more complex, as incorrect insulin dosing can be dangerous and, in some cases, life-threatening.