Type 5 diabetes recognized as distinct form of disease

A new category of diabetes has been officially recognized by the International Diabetes Federation during its annual congress. The condition, previously referred to as malnutrition-related diabetes, is distinct from both type 1 and type 2 forms of the disease.

The identification of type 5 diabetes follows a consensus panel meeting in India in January 2025, where leading experts drafted a statement to define and describe the disease. The statement is expected to be published soon.

Malnutrition-related diabetes was first identified in Jamaica in 1955 and primarily affects young men in low- and middle-income countries. Patients typically have very low body mass indexes and were often misdiagnosed with type 1 diabetes, despite not showing classic features such as ketonuria or ketosis, even with elevated blood sugar levels.