Researchers Identify Five Different Types of Diabetes, Not Just Two

For many years, diabetes cases have largely been classified as either type 1 or type 2. But a new study suggests that there may actually be five different types of the disease--some of which may be more dangerous than others. A new classification system could help doctors identify the people most at risk for complications, the study authors say, and could pave the way for more personalized and effective treatments. The research article, published in The Lancet: Diabetes & Endocrinology, calls attention to the need for an updated diabetes classification system. The current system "has not been much updated during the past 20 years," the authors wrote in their paper, "and very few attempts have been made to explore heterogeneity of type 2 diabetes"--despite calls from expert groups over the years to do so. Meanwhile, they wrote, diabetes is the fastest-increasing disease worldwide, and existing treatments have been unable to stem the tide or prevent the development of chronic complications in many patients.