Monogenic Diabetes, or MODY

Monogenic diabetes is caused by a change in a single gene. A gene is like a recipe card your body follows.

If one line on that card is wrong, the dish can turn out differently. MODY is one form of monogenic diabetes.

MODY often runs in families. You get two copies of each gene, one from each parent. A changed copy from just one parent can be enough to pass MODY on.

That is why more than one person in a family may have it. It is usually found before age 25, but can appear at any age.

MODY can look like type 1 or type 2, so it can be mistaken. Symptoms alone cannot show which type it is.

Family history can give clues, but it is not proof. A doctor can order a genetic test, the only sure way to confirm MODY. Ask your care team whether that test makes sense for you.

Key takeaways

• Monogenic diabetes comes from a change in a single gene.
• MODY often runs in families and can be found at any age.
• Only a doctor-ordered genetic test can confirm MODY.

Try it

Write down any diabetes in your family, and the age each person was diagnosed.