Role of malnutrition in diabete mellitus.

Malnutrition remains prevalent in many developing countries, where diabetes mellitus is another common condition. Historically, extraordinarily advanc ed forms of diabetes mellitus were described in tropical countries (diabete s type J, type K...). However, these forms account for only a tiny minority of cases of diabetes mellitus in countries where malnutrition is common. N oninsulin-dependent diabetes without obesity contributes as many as 20% of all cases of diabetes in these countries. Although malnutrition probably in fluences the expression of diabetes mellitus, whether a causal link exists between the two conditions remains unclear. The role of maternal malnutriti on in the occurrence of diabetes mellitus is an important issue.