Newly Recognized Type 5 Diabetes Linked to Malnutrition

The global prevalence of diabetes is alarming. The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) in its latest Diabetes Atlas (2025) reports that 11.1 percent – or 1 in 9 – of the adult population (20-79 years) is living with diabetes, with over 4 in 10 unaware that they have the condition. By 2050, the IDF projects that 1 in 8 adults, approximately 853 million, will be living with diabetes. ^[1]

There are three main different diabetes types. They include Type 1 and Type 2 and gestational diabetes.  In addition, there are two other less well-known types of diabetes, Types 3 and 4. At this stage, neither one has been medically or officially classified by any health organization, but Types 3 and 4 are getting more attention.[2]  And recently the research community recognized Type 5 diabetes, which stems from a long-term lack of childhood nutrition. All types of diabetes involve the pancreas and the hormone insulin.

The pancreas is an organ that lies deep in your belly (abdomen) behind your stomach and in front of your spine. After you eat, beta cells in the pancreas produce insulin and release it into the bloodstream. From there, insulin moves glucose from the blood into your body’s cells, which absorb the sugar from food to use it for energy and other essential processes. When the pancreas fails to do its job in producing and regulating insulin to transform food into accessible cell energy, the result often is diabetes.

Understand Type 1 versus Type 2 diabetes

There is a significant difference between diabetes Types 1 and 2. Type 1 diabetes is considered an autoimmune disease. The immune system mistakes the body’s own healthy cells as foreign invaders. In response, the immune system attacks and destroys the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. Once these cells are destroyed, the body is unable to produce insulin.

Regarding Type 1 versus Type 2 diabetes, the relationship between insulin and the pancreas differs. With Type 2, the body develops resistance to insulin. In response, the pancreas produces more insulin to get cells to respond. However, because the pancreas cannot keep up, blood sugar rises. Type 2 is the more common of the two, accounting for 90 to 95 percent of all cases.^[3] It often is linked to genetics, lifestyle, and weight.

Be aware of gestational diabetes during pregnancy

Another one of the different diabetes types is gestational. During pregnancy, gestational diabetes can develop among women, even though they do not already have the condition. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that each year, gestational diabetes affects 5percent to 9 percent of pregnancies in the United States.^[4]

Just as with other different diabetes types, gestational diabetes affects how cells use blood sugar (glucose). During pregnancy, the body makes more hormones and goes through other changes, including weight gain. These changes can result in insulin resistance, which means the body’s cells use insulin less effectively.

Know about different diabetes Types 3 and 4

Diabetes Type 3 is an unofficial term. Some researchers use it to describe a hypothesis that insulin resistance and insulin-like growth factor dysfunction in the brain may be the cause of Alzheimer’s disease.^[5] In healthy brains, insulin usually supports communication between the nerve cells and helps regulate the use of energy. However, in those with Alzheimer’s, the brain shows signs of insulin resistance. This impairs the ability of the brain to use glucose properly, leading to memory loss, cognitive decline and the buildup of proteins that are characteristic of Alzheimer's -- tau and beta-amyloid.[6]

Diabetes Type 4 is the term used to describe age-related insulin resistance in elderly people who are not overweight. In 2015, researchers discovered that weight gain did not cause diabetes in aged, lean mice, as can be the case in Type 2 diabetes. Instead, these mice had abnormally elevated levels of immune cells called T regulatory cells (Tregs) inside their fat tissue. By comparison, mice with Type 2 diabetes had abnormally low levels of Tregs in their fat tissue yet had more fat tissue. A treatment option that blocks Treg cells from accumulating in the fat reverses age-associated Type 4 diabetes. However, this kind of therapy does not prevent Type 2 diabetes insulin resistance. [7]

New diabetes Type 5 classification

Newly recognized Type 5 diabetes results from a long-term lack of nutrition in childhood, which prevents the pancreas from growing properly and so producing enough insulin. The result is high blood sugar levels. Symptoms often are like those of Types 1 and 2, including:

·         Frequent urination

·         Increased thirst

·         Headache

·         Blurred vision

·         Fatigue

Previously Type 5 diabetes was classified as malnutrition-related diabetes mellitus (MRDM). In April 2025, the IDF officially recognized diabetes Type 5 as a distinct form of the disease. Researchers estimate diabetes Type 5 affects 20 to 25 million people worldwide, primarily among people in low- and middle-income countries, most notably in Asia and Africa. [8]

The classification helps to spur more research into improving diagnosis and treatment. Previously people with Type 5 might have been diagnosed incorrectly with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes, preventing proper treatment. Also, because of the official classification, medical teams in affected countries have more knowledge to diagnose and treat Type 5, and international health organizations now can track and measure it.

Understanding and recognizing the distinct types of diabetes is critical in prevention and treatment for a growing global population of people affected by the disease.