New Discovery
This new type of diabetes first appeared in Jamaica in 1955. The Daily Mail reports that this decision comes after many years of doctors noticing the condition.
What is Type 5 Diabetes?
This new type is called “type 5 diabetes” or “MODY” (maturity onset diabetes of the young). It affects about 25 million people around the world. Most of these people are young adults in Asia and Africa who are not getting enough nutrition and have a low body mass index (BMI).
How is it Different?
Experts say type 5 diabetes is very different from types 1 and 2 diabetes. It happens because of problems with insulin production due to long-term malnutrition, not because of obesity or bad lifestyle choices.
Risks of Insulin Treatment
Doctors have often misdiagnosed type 5 diabetes as type 1 diabetes. Dr. Meredith Hawkins warns that giving insulin to these patients can be dangerous. Many do not live more than a year after being diagnosed. She says this condition is more common than tuberculosis and nearly as common as AIDS.
Understanding the Disease
Professor Nihal Thomas explains that type 5 diabetes happens because the pancreas does not make enough insulin. He notes that the lack of research on this type has made it hard to diagnose and treat.
Long Overdue Recognition
In the 1980s, the World Health Organization (WHO) called this “malnutrition-related diabetes.” They took it back in 1999 because there wasn’t enough evidence. Now that it is recognized, experts hope to create better treatment plans that focus on good nutrition instead of just using insulin.
Cause and Development
Type 5 diabetes is caused by a genetic mutation passed from parent to child. It usually develops in early teens or twenties. If one parent has the gene, there’s a 50% chance the child will develop the disease.
Conclusion
With this new recognition, experts expect more research into type 5 diabetes. This could lead to better treatments that save millions of lives around the world.
