Introduction
Type 5 diabetes refers to diabetes that is related to a lack of food. It is a separate type of diabetes that has been officially recognized by the International Diabetes Federation. In this type, a chronic lack of food causes a severe lack of insulin in the body. It usually occurs in childhood or adolescence.
Type 5 diabetes, a new type caused by malnutrition
Type 5 diabetes refers to diabetes that is related to a lack of food. It is a separate type of diabetes that has been officially recognized by the International Diabetes Federation. In this type, a chronic lack of food causes a severe lack of insulin in the body. It usually occurs in childhood or adolescence.
Type 5 diabetes is very different from type 2 and type 1.
It differs from type 1 diabetes in that in type 1, the cells that produce insulin are destroyed, while in type 5 diabetes this does not happen, but rather a chronic lack of food causes a severe lack of insulin. This new type differs from type 2 diabetes in that it is characterized by insulin resistance, in which the amount of insulin is normal or high, but ineffective, while in type 5 diabetes there is a severe lack of insulin.
This type of diabetes occurs when a baby in the womb suffers from chronic malnutrition during early development, which causes the pancreas to malfunction before birth. This type of diabetes was long overlooked, but was officially recognized in April this year.
According to the International Diabetes Federation, it is characterized by a distinct metabolic profile, in which there is severe insulin deficiency but no insulin resistance. According to a conservative estimate, approximately 20 to 25 million people worldwide, including in Asia, Africa, and middle-income countries, may be affected by this type. Below are some of the specific symptoms of type 5 diabetes.
Increased appetite:
Our body converts food into glucose to produce energy in the body. Insulin is needed to bring glucose into the cells, because it produces energy in the cells, but when there is a chronic lack of food, the amount of insulin also decreases, which is why the lack of energy causes increased hunger.
Frequent urination:
This is a symptom of diabetes, because due to the lack of insulin, the food that is eaten is converted into glucose, but it cannot enter the cells and produce energy, but rather causes the sugar in the blood to rise, due to which excessive urination begins.
Blurred vision:
Increased blood sugar affects the lens of the eyes, due to which vision becomes blurry and when the sugar is normal, vision begins to improve.
Dry mouth:
It has been observed that in this type and other types, when there is excess urination, the mouth starts feeling dry along with the feeling of thirst, especially during sleep.
Mood changes:
High blood sugar affects all the body’s systems, which causes mood changes, because our brain needs the right amount of glucose at all times.
More common symptoms include rapid weight loss, constant fatigue, weakness and indigestion, etc.
On April 8, 2025, the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) held a conference in Bangkok on the theme “Planning for the Future in Diabetes is Necessary”, in which a vote was taken to classify the disease and officially named the disease “Type 5 Diabetes” or “Maturity-Onset Diabetes of the Young”.
On this occasion, Meredith Hawkins, Professor of Medicine at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, said:
“Dietary diabetes has historically been underdiagnosed and underestimated. However, now that the IDF has recognized it as type 5 diabetes, it is undoubtedly an important step, which will spread more awareness about this health problem.
To control type 5 diabetes, patients should keep their diet high in protein and low in carbohydrates, while also paying attention to the nutrients that the body is deficient in. But now this issue needs more detailed and careful research, because it has now received global approval and official approval from the IDF.”
There is still much to be learned about this new type of diabetes. Of course, many mistakes will be solved thanks to future research. Not only this, but other new types of diabetes will also come to light.
