There’s Now A Type 5 Diabetes And Doctors Say It’s Been Ignored For Decades, Has Unusual Symptoms

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2025, the International Diabetes Federation has officially recognised Type 5 diabetes as a distinct form of the disease, ending nearly 70 years of debate. The organisation is now urging global health bodies, including the World Health Organization, to formally acknowledge it as well.

What Is Type 5 Diabetes?

Type 5 diabetes is not linked to obesity, lifestyle, pregnancy or the immune system. Instead, it is believed to be caused by long-term malnutrition, which damages the pancreas and reduces its ability to produce insulin. First observed in Jamaica in the 1950s, patients were young, thin and undernourished—but unlike Type 1 diabetes, they did not develop ketoacidosis, a dangerous complication. They also didn’t fit the profile of Type 2 diabetes, which is usually linked to insulin resistance and excess weight.

Previously known as malnutrition-related diabetes mellitus (MRDM), this condition was briefly acknowledged by the WHO in the 1980s but later dropped due to limited evidence. Now, growing research suggests it may affect up to 25 million people worldwide, particularly in low- and middle-income countries across Asia and Africa where food insecurity is common. This is why scientists think Type 5 diabetes happens when chronic undernutrition prevents your pancreas from fully developing.Experts say misdiagnosis is a serious issue. Because Type 5 diabetes behaves differently, standard diabetes treatment, especially high doses of insulin, may be ineffective or even harmful. Patients often need very small amounts of insulin or alternative treatments to avoid dangerous blood sugar swings.Also Read: Is Type 3 Diabetes Hurting Your Brain? What Blood Sugar Levels Mean for Dementia RiskThe IDF has now formed a dedicated Type 5 Diabetes Working Group to develop clear diagnostic criteria, treatment guidelines, a global patient registry and training for healthcare professionals. Researchers believe official recognition will finally unlock funding, awareness and better care for a condition that has remained largely invisible for decades.

Type 5 Diabetes Symptoms

They often overlap with other diabetes types (thirst, frequent urination, fatigue, weight loss, blurred vision, slow-healing sores) but are often accompanied by signs of malnutrition like thinness, stunted growth/delayed puberty (in youth), anemia, and recurrent infections, stemming from early-life nutritional deficiencies rather than just insulin resistance or autoimmunity, and typically appearing before age 30. Also Read: World Diabetes Day: The 'Silent Killer' is Getting Younger And Air Pollution is Making it Worse