Five categories for adult diabetes, not just type 1 and type 2, study shows

Findings shed light on variations in response to treatment between diabetics -and could help identify those at high risk of complications

Diabetes that begins in adulthood falls into five distinct categories, new research has revealed, with scientists suggesting it is time to ditch the idea that diabetes is largely split into two types.

Researchers say all of the newly classified subgroups are genetically distinct and have numerous differences, including the age at which they tend to occur and different levels of risk for complications such as kidney disease.