Researchers Identify Unique 'Type-5' Diabetes Affecting Undernourished Populations

In November 2025, eminent diabetes researcher Dr. Chittaranjan Yajnik from KEM Hospital, Pune, has described a newly recognized form of diabetes, called Type-5 diabetes. This unusual form of diabetes is predominantly affecting undernourished populations, particularly those from socio-economically deprived communities and rural areas.

According to Dr. Yajnik, Type-5 diabetes poses novel challenges compared to the more common Type-2 diabetes. Unlike Type-2, which is associated with obesity and high BMI, Type-5 diabetes is seen in individuals with low BMI and insulin deficiency. An international consensus meeting held in Vellore, India, in January 2025 proposed the term 'Type-5 diabetes' to distinguish it from Type-1 and Type-2 diabetes, as well as other rare genetic and secondary forms.

The International Diabetes Federation recognized Type-5 diabetes as a subtype during their recent meeting in Bangkok in April 2025. Experts say this new classification aims to draw attention from global health stakeholders and stimulate further research into this neglected condition. With undernutrition re-emerging globally due to climate change, migration, famine, and conflicts, Type-5 diabetes may assume far-reaching implications, and its proper documentation and research could pave the way for preventive strategies and tailored treatments.