Educational Content: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a healthcare provider for diagnosis and treatment.
Definition of Tropical diabetes
Medically reviewed by Dr. Otari Nergadze, Neurosurgeon | Updated: January 2026
Tropical diabetes: Diabetes mellitus associated with chronic malnutrition and, sometimes, chronic pancreatitis. Whether tropical diabetes exists as a distinct entity is under debate. While malnutrition may influence the expression of diabetes, the evidence that diabetes can be directly caused by protein deficiency is not convincing. Also called malnutrition-related diabetes.