Newly Identified Form of Diabetes Linked to Malnutrition Affects Millions Globally
By Dr.Michael Lee, World-Today-News.com – A distinct form of diabetes, directly linked to malnutrition, is affecting an estimated 25 million people worldwide, primarily in developing nations, according to a groundbreaking consensus reached by leading diabetes experts. The findings, published Thursday in The Lancet Global Health, are prompting calls for the international medical community to formally recognize this unique presentation of the disease.
For decades, diabetes has largely been categorized into two main types: Type 1, typically diagnosed in youth and stemming from insulin deficiency; and Type 2, more common in adults, characterized by insulin resistance. Though, researchers have increasingly observed a third, atypical form that doesn’t neatly fit into either category.
This newly identified diabetes manifests in young adults, often under the age of 30, with symptoms less severe than those associated with Type 1. While insulin production is reduced, it isn’t the complete absence seen in Type 1. Crucially, unlike Type 2 diabetes, being overweight is not a risk factor. In fact, individuals affected are typically underweight or malnourished.
“We urge the international diabetes community to recognize this particular form of the disease,” stated the authors of the Lancet article, representing the consensus of the International Diabetes Federation.
The concept of malnutrition-related diabetes isn’t entirely new. The World Health Organization (WHO) previously included a classification for “diabetes associated with malnutrition” in the 1980s and 90s. Though, this classification was dropped in 1999 due to a lack of definitive consensus on whether malnutrition alone could cause diabetes.
Recent studies conducted across multiple countries – including Bangladesh, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, Uganda, Pakistan, and Rwanda – have provided compelling evidence supporting a distinct physiological mechanism linking malnutrition and diabetes development.
Treatment Challenges and the Path Forward
Currently, the optimal treatment for this form of diabetes remains unclear. Traditional approaches like weight gain are counterintuitive, and the effectiveness of common medications like metformin or insulin is uncertain.
The authors emphasize that addressing the root cause – poverty and hunger – is paramount. “Combating this type of diabetes largely involves maintaining and accelerating poverty and hunger fighting programs, especially by increasing access to simple, cheap, nourishing and high protein foods,” they conclude.
this research underscores the complex interplay between nutrition and metabolic health, and highlights the urgent need
