In April 2025, The International Diabetes Federation has officially recognised a type of diabetes that stems from severe malnourishment in childhood and renamed it as Type 5 Diabetes (T5D). This type of diabetes is usually diagnosed in adults as young as 25 yrs who are extremely lean and have had a history of chronic malnourishment in their childhood. These folks have a very low BMI and would have fallen sick frequently as kids.

Prolonged poor nutrition can damage an individual’s pancreatic function and results in extremely low insulin levels – causing T5D. The onset of this condition is very gradual and can be often regarded as a sign of weakness or poor health because symptoms are not specific. This makes it difficult to diagnose. Unexplained weightloss, frequent infections, increased thirst, delayed puberty, slow healing wounds, etc., are some common symptoms observed so far.

The point of concern here is that T5D has been diagnosed quite frequently in the low and middle income populations of Asia and Africa. It is almost as common as HIV or TB infection! Hence, it highlights the need to address it with the seriousness it deserves.

T5D cannot just be managed with insulin shots like T1D or oral meds like T2D because this often leads to dangerously low sugar levels and sometimes even death.

Treatment requires low dose medications and a complete overhaul of dietary food intake wherein high protein foods and a variety of fruits and vegetables are included to ensure all vitamins and minerals are consumed. Needless to say, once there is onset of T5D it is tougher to manage it than prevent it altogether. A child’s nutrition begins in the mother’s womb and continues well into its developmental years and adolescence. It thus becomes extremely essential to create awareness about the importance of a balanced diet and good nutrition in low and middle income populations in order to prevent T5D.