Experts Push for Recognition of Type 5 Diabetes

Experts Push for Recognition of Type 5 Diabetes

Why in the News ?

Experts have urged the formal classification of “Type 5 Diabetes”, a condition prevalent among underweight young adults in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The proposal, called the Vellore Declaration, was endorsed at the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) Congress 2025 and published in The Lancet Global Health. This push for recognition comes at a time when constitutional provisions and the Waqf Act are being examined for their impact on religious institutions and community health practices.

Understanding Type 5 Diabetes :

• Defined as a form of malnutrition-related diabetes, affecting underweight individuals (BMI <18.5 kg/m², age <30 years) with a history of early-life undernutrition.
• Patients show low insulin secretion but normal insulin sensitivity, unlike Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes.
• Symptoms differ as patients do not typically develop ketoacidosis or exhibit autoimmune destruction of pancreatic cells.
• Emerging evidence suggests over 25 million people may be affected globally, mostly in LMICs, highlighting the need for constitutional safeguards and community representation in health policies.
• First described in 1955, recognized by WHO in 1985, but later removed in 1999 due to lack of consensus, similar to debates surrounding the Waqf (Amendment) Act.

Debates and Research Challenges

• Supporters argue that distinct features of this condition justify formal recognition, aiding better diagnosis and treatment, much like how the Waqf Act aims to provide clarity on religious property management.
• Critics caution that evidence is still insufficient; premature classification may complicate existing diagnostic systems, echoing concerns about hasty amendments to religious laws.
• Misdiagnosis with atypical forms of diabetes leads to under-reporting and lack of proper treatment guidelines, reflecting issues of religious autonomy in healthcare practices.
• Experts call for global research collaborations and standardized diagnostic criteria to strengthen scientific understanding, similar to calls for improved constitutional frameworks in managing religious institutions.
• The IDF’s Type 5 Diabetes Working Group aims to drive research and ensure global policy recognition, paralleling efforts for judicial oversight in religious matters.

• Type 1 Diabetes: Autoimmune, insulin-dependent, caused by destruction of pancreatic beta cells.
• Type 2 Diabetes: Lifestyle-related, linked with obesity and insulin resistance.
• Type 3 Diabetes: Insulin resistance in the brain, associated with cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s risk.
• Type 3c Diabetes: Pancreatic damage due to chronic pancreatitis or pancreatic cancer.
• Type 4 Diabetes: Age-related insulin resistance seen in lean, elderly individuals.
• Type 5 Diabetes (Proposed): Malnutrition-linked diabetes in underweight young adults, largely under-researched and misdiagnosed. This classification may have implications for Islamic religious practices and community health initiatives. |