Latest news with #MaturityOnsetDiabetesoftheYoung
Express Tribune
18-05-2025
- Health
- Express Tribune
Type 1 diabetes cases rising in kids
Previously misunderstood and often misdiagnosed, Type 5 diabetes – also known as malnutrition-related diabetes or Maturity Onset Diabetes of the Young (MODY) – disproportionately affects lean adolescents and young adults, especially in low and middle-income countries across Asia and PEXELS Health experts have raised concerns over the alarming increase in Type 1 diabetes among children in Pakistan, urging greater public awareness about prevention and management. Consultant and Chronologist Professor Muhammad Shahid, speaking to a private news channel, revealed that approximately 24,000 Pakistanis, mostly children, are living with Type 1 diabetes, an autoimmune disorder that currently has no cure. Dr Shahid highlighted the critical importance of early diagnosis, regular blood sugar monitoring, and a balanced diet in managing the condition. He emphasised that parents must be vigilant in recognising symptoms and understanding treatment options to ensure children live a better quality of life. Raising awareness, he noted, could significantly improve outcomes for those affected, reducing the risk of complications. He also stressed the necessity of timely insulin treatments, warning that without daily insulin injections, blood glucose levels could rise dangerously, leading to life-threatening consequences. Dr Shahid concluded that with proper management and adherence to insulin therapy, children with Type 1 diabetes can lead active, healthy lives.
Express Tribune
27-04-2025
- Health
- Express Tribune
Type 5 diabetes
Listen to article A distinct form of diabetes related to malnutrition, typically affecting teens and young adults in low and middle-income countries, has officially been recognised and named as 'type-5 diabetes' by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF). This admission comes as a significant advancement in the field of endocrinology as it illustrates a more precise diagnostic criteria and tailored treatment strategies for what was previously an undiagnosed condition. Patients exhibiting symptoms of this condition, also known as Maturity Onset Diabetes of the Young (MODY), are often misdiagnosed as having type-1 diabetes due to high blood glucose levels and poor insulin production, but it is distinct in terms of its underlying causes and progression. A standard-insulin based treatment for type-5 diabetes can cause dangerous drops in blood sugar and, in some cases, even become potentially fatal. According to the IDF, Pakistan ranks among the top countries with the highest diabetes burden, with around 33 million citizens actively living with the disease. With a significant population affected by food insecurity and malnutrition — specifically a global acute malnutrition rate of 17.7 per cent in the country — Pakistan indubitably stands to benefit from increased awareness and understanding of this form of diabetes. Experts have identified that Type-5 diabetes is more prevalent than TB and HIV/AIDS, both of which are already subject to stringent control measures by the government. A formal recognition of this disease will allow for the development of targeted healthcare strategies that are essential to prevention and management. Early diagnosis and prevention of misdiagnoses can help reduce an onslaught of long-term complications brought by Type-5 diabetes. Additionally, a targeted approach towards nutritional support can further help curtail its effects. Recognising Type-5 diabetes marks a pivotal step toward equitable healthcare, urging timely interventions, better training for practitioners and a renewed focus on malnutrition-linked diseases in vulnerable communities.
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Business Standard
23-04-2025
- Health
- Business Standard
What is Type 5 diabetes? IDF recognises malnutrition-linked condition
Long overlooked and often misdiagnosed, Type 5 diabetes, caused by malnutrition-linked reduced insulin production, has finally gained official recognition New Delhi A form of diabetes associated with malnutrition rather than obesity has received official recognition, several decades after it was first identified in developing nations. The International Diabetes Federation (IDF), earlier this month, formally classified the condition as "Type 5 diabetes", also known as Maturity Onset Diabetes of the Young (MODY). "Although Type 5 diabetes has been observed for over 70 years, it has been largely overlooked in global health discussions. The condition was first noted in the mid-20th century and often misclassified as Type 1 or 2 diabetes," said the IDF in a statement. What is Type 5 diabetes and how does it develop? Type 5 diabetes is a rare, inherited form of the condition that typically occurs in undernourished adolescents and young adults from low- and middle-income households. It is characterised by reduced insulin production resulting from prolonged malnutrition. According to the IDF, the concept of Type 5 diabetes refers to severe insulin-deficient diabetes (SIDD), marked by extreme insulin deficiency and poor metabolic control. The condition usually emerges during adolescence or early adulthood in individuals with a genetic mutation passed down from a parent. If one parent carries the affected gene, there is a 50 per cent likelihood that their children will inherit it. Where was Type 5 diabetes first discovered? MODY was first identified in Jamaica in 1955. Nearly three decades later, the World Health Organization (WHO) recognised 'malnutrition-related diabetes mellitus' as a separate form of diabetes, but discontinued the classification in 1999 due to insufficient evidence. Cases have since been reported in India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Uganda, Ethiopia, Rwanda, and Korea—primarily across the Global South. How is Type 5 diabetes different from Type 1 and Type 2? According to the IDF, unlike Type 2 diabetes, which is driven by insulin resistance and lifestyle factors, Type 5 diabetes is primarily caused by chronic undernutrition, particularly during childhood or adolescence. While Type 1 diabetes results from autoimmune destruction of insulin-producing cells, and Type 2 diabetes is marked by the body's inability to use insulin efficiently, Type 5 diabetes stems from impaired pancreatic development due to prolonged nutrient deficiencies. Is there a treatment for Type 5 diabetes? As Type 5 diabetes has only recently been officially recognised, formal diagnostic criteria and treatment protocols are still under development. The IDF has formed a dedicated working group that will spend the next two years developing guidelines based on research in low-income and resource-constrained settings. What is the IDF doing next? The group will establish a global research registry and create educational modules for healthcare professionals. The initiative is co-chaired by Dr Meredith Hawkins, endocrinologist and founding director of the Global Diabetes Institute at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, and Dr Nihal Thomas, professor of endocrinology at Christian Medical College (CMC), Vellore. The Type 5 Diabetes Working Group brings together international experts to address this long-overlooked public health challenge.
Express Tribune
22-04-2025
- Health
- Express Tribune
New Type 5 diabetes officially recognised, impacts 25m people worldwide
Previously misunderstood and often misdiagnosed, Type 5 diabetes – also known as malnutrition-related diabetes or Maturity Onset Diabetes of the Young (MODY) – disproportionately affects lean adolescents and young adults, especially in low and middle-income countries across Asia and PEXELS Listen to article A rare and long-overlooked form of diabetes, linked not to obesity but to malnutrition, has been formally recognised by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) as 'Type 5 diabetes' — a landmark moment for global health experts and patients alike. Previously misunderstood and often misdiagnosed, Type 5 diabetes – also known as malnutrition-related diabetes or Maturity Onset Diabetes of the Young (MODY) – disproportionately affects lean adolescents and young adults, especially in low and middle-income countries across Asia and Africa. The IDF's official recognition came via a formal vote at the World Diabetes Congress in Bangkok on 8 April, marking decades of medical debate. Experts say this rare form of diabetes, which develops in teenagers and young adults due to prolonged nutritional deficiencies, affects an estimated 25 million people worldwide. Unlike the more widely known types of diabetes, which are typically linked to obesity, genetics, or autoimmune responses, Type 5 stems from long-term malnutrition. It leads to poor insulin production due to pancreatic beta cell dysfunction, making standard insulin-based treatments risky and potentially fatal. Professor Meredith Hawkins of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, who has long advocated for its recognition, welcomed the IDF's decision, saying: 'The IDF's recognition of Type 5 diabetes is an important step toward raising awareness of a health problem that is so devastating to so many people.' She added that the disease had been 'vastly underdiagnosed and poorly understood' for decades. Her research has shown that insulin therapy, often misapplied in these patients, can cause dangerous drops in blood sugar due to the unique metabolic characteristics of the disease. The condition was first observed in Jamaica in the 1950s and was temporarily included in the World Health Organization's diabetes classifications in the 1980s before being removed in 1999 due to insufficient data. However, over the past two decades, physicians across developing countries have increasingly reported seeing young, underweight patients who do not respond to typical insulin treatments. Many of these cases were initially misdiagnosed as Type 1 diabetes. Dr Nihal Thomas of India's Christian Medical College, and a member of the Type 5 Diabetes Working Group, said the disease is 'largely inherited' and requires more targeted research and diagnosis protocols. 'Due to the lack of formal recognition, this condition has been understudied and misdiagnosed. Recognition by the IDF opens the door to better diagnosis and more tailored therapies,' Dr Thomas added. Experts emphasise that Type 5 diabetes is more common than tuberculosis and nearly as widespread as HIV/AIDS in some regions. However, the absence of an official classification until now has limited research funding, public awareness, and therapeutic innovation. With formal recognition now in place, health organisations hope the spotlight on Type 5 diabetes will drive efforts to develop diagnostic tools, train healthcare providers, and ensure effective, non-insulin-based treatment strategies for affected populations. The next steps, researchers say, involve increasing global awareness, particularly among health professionals in high-prevalence areas, and pushing for investment into research and public health solutions tailored to the condition.
The Sun
21-04-2025
- Health
- The Sun
New ‘Diabetes type 5' discovered by scientists who say it's ‘vastly undiagnosed' – do you have the signs?
A NEW form of diabetes linked to malnutrition, not obesity, has been officially recognised. Named Type 5 diabetes, the disease is estimated to affect 25million people worldwide. It mainly strikes malnourished, lean teens and young adults in low and middle-income countries. The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) voted to classify the condition previously known as Maturity Onset Diabetes of the Young (MODY) at its World Diabetes Congress in Bangkok on April 8th. 'It has historically been vastly underdiagnosed and poorly understood,' said Professor Meredith Hawkins of Albert Einstein College of Medicine, said. 'The IDF's recognition of it as 'Type 5 diabetes' is an important step toward raising awareness of a health problem that is so devastating to so many people," she added. Globally, around 830 million adults are living with diabetes, mostly Type 1 and Type 2, according to a 2022 study. Both types affect the body's ability to control blood sugar levels. In Type 1 diabetes, the body can't produce insulin - a hormone that helps move sugar from the blood into cells for energy. This causes high blood sugar, which can damage organs. In Type 2 diabetes, the body still makes insulin but becomes resistant to it, so sugar stays in the blood instead of entering the cells. Over time, this also leads to high blood sugar levels. Type 5 diabetes is different. It's caused by malnutrition, which leads to low insulin production. The leaves the body unable to make enough insulin to manage blood sugar properly. It's not due to a total lack of insulin like Type 1, or insulin resistance like Type 2 - rather the body doesn't produce enough, often because of poor nutrition. 40 Day Health Challenge GP Dr Sumi Dunne on signs and symptoms of diabetes to watch out for Unlike Types 1 and 2, Type 5 is also usually inherited. If a parent carries the gene, their child has a 50 per cent chance of developing it, as the gene makes them more vulnerable to the condition. Type 5 diabetes typically appears in early teens or 20s, especially in young men in Asia and Africa with a body mass index (BMI) of 19. A healthy BMI is between 18 and 24.9, suggesting that those with Type 5 diabetes tend to be on the thinner side of healthy. Professor Nihal Thomas, of Christian Medical College in India, told The Indian Express: 'The disease causes pancreatic beta cells to function abnormally, which leads to insufficient production of insulin. "Due to the lack of formal recognition, this condition has been understudied and misdiagnosed.' Doctors often mistake it for Type 1 diabetes - but giving insulin can be dangerous, Prof Hawkins told Medscape Medical News. 'Malnutrition-related diabetes is more common than tuberculosis and nearly as common as HIV/AIDS,' Prof Hawkins said. 'But the lack of an official name has hindered efforts to diagnose patients or find effective therapies.' She first heard about the condition in 2005 when doctors from several countries described a strange form of diabetes. "The patients were young and thin, which suggested that they had Type 1 diabetes, which can be managed with insulin injections to regulate blood sugar levels. "But insulin didn't help these patients and in some cases caused dangerously low blood sugar," she said, according to Medical Express. The patients did not seem to have Type 2 diabetes either, as it is typically associated with obesity, which the doctor said "was very confusing." In 2010, Prof Hawkins founded Einstein's Global Diabetes Institute. More than a decade later in 2022, Prof Hawkins and her colleagues at the Christian Medical College demonstrated that this form of diabetes was fundamentally different from Type 1 and 2. She said people with Type 5 diabetes have a profound defect in the capacity to secrete insulin which wasn't recognised before. This means their bodies can't properly absorb and store nutrients, especially sugar and fat to put on any weight, or store muscle. As a result, they often stay very thin, even if they're eating enough. 'This finding has revolutionised how we think about this condition and how we should treat it," she said. But there's still no standard treatment, with many patients dying within a year of diagnosis. Prof Hawkins said diets high in protein and low in carbohydrates, along with targeted micronutrients, may help. But she warned: 'This needs to be carefully studied now that there is global will and an official mandate from [IDF] to do so.'
