Type 5 Diabetes Gains Global Recognition as a Distinct Health Condition

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Posted by newadmin on 2025-04-16 08:55:57 | Last Updated by newadmin on 2025-12-15 08:56:15

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In a significant move, the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) has officially recognized Type 5 diabetes as a distinct form of the disease during the World Diabetes Congress held in Bangkok. This long-overlooked condition predominantly affects malnourished adolescents and young adults, particularly in low- and middle-income countries across Asia and Africa. Type 5 diabetes, first documented in Jamaica in 1955 as J-type diabetes, differs notably from Types 1 and 2. While Type 1 diabetes involves autoimmune destruction of insulin-producing cells and Type 2 is associated with insulin resistance, Type 5 is primarily characterized by a severe defect in insulin secretion. Interestingly, insulin therapy, a primary treatment for Type 1 diabetes, may actually exacerbate the condition for Type 5 patients.

Despite affecting an estimated 20 to 25 million people worldwide, Type 5 diabetes has been largely unrecognized for decades. Although the World Health Organization (WHO) briefly acknowledged its existence in 1985, the recognition was withdrawn due to a lack of extensive research. However, recent renewed scientific interest has underscored the severity and prevalence of this form of diabetes, with rates higher than those of tuberculosis and almost as common as HIV/AIDS.

In response, the IDF has established a dedicated working group to develop formal diagnostic criteria, treatment protocols, and a global patient registry for Type 5 diabetes. Educational resources aimed at healthcare providers are also being created to improve early detection and management. This recognition marks a crucial turning point in global diabetes care, offering hope for better treatment and outcomes for the millions affected by this previously neglected form of the disease.

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