“Can a skinny person get diabetes?”

Yes, type 1 diabetic people are usually skinny. Type 2 patients are usually over weight, but not always.

Ali A. Achira, MD

There are certain scenarios that a skinny person can get diabetes. Genetics and your immune systems play a significant role in this. For example, commonly South Asian patients are relatively skinny but develop diabetes.

Yeah. For exercise type 1 DM is not weight related. It can develop at a young age and also at the age of 30-40s and its called LADA diabetes

Yes a skinny person can get diabetes. There are 2 types of diabetes ( & several subtypes), Type 1 & Type 2. Type 2 diabetes is the most common & is usually thought to be caused by insulin resistance with over weight. But a few skinny people do develop Type 2 diabetes if the genetic & environmental factors are present. Type 1 diabetes, as it develops, usually causes wt. loss so it is associated with skinny people. Type 1 diabetes is more common in children but can occur in older people as well. I developed it at age 57 & have had it for 27 yrs. This form is more related to genetics than weight, So YES skinny people can get diabetes but it is less common that that which occurs to overwt. people.