Brazil to screen for rare type 5 diabetes linked to malnutrition

Brazil is launching a screening initiative for type 5 diabetes, a rare form of the disease linked to malnutrition and food insecurity. The Brazilian Society of Diabetes (SBD) announced that the initial focus will be on the North and Northeast regions, where vulnerability to nutritional issues is highest. Type 5 diabetes is often misdiagnosed as type 1 because it typically affects thin individuals under the age of 30, though it requires different insulin management.

In Porto Velho, local health authorities are emphasizing the importance of early detection to prevent complications. Currently, nearly 14,000 people are registered for diabetes monitoring in the municipality's basic health units, with approximately 3,400 being insulin-dependent. Health officials warn that type 2 diabetes is often a silent condition that can develop over years without obvious symptoms, urging citizens to seek testing for glucose levels and glycated hemoglobin at local clinics before severe symptoms like extreme thirst or unexplained weight loss appear.