Diabetes and Women

Women with diabetes have more to manage. Stay on track by checking your blood sugar often, eating healthy food, and being active so you can be your healthiest and feel your best.

How is diabetes different for women than it is for men? Diabetes increases the risk of heart disease (the most common diabetes complication) by about four times in women but only about two times in men, and women have worse outcomes after a heart attack. Women are also at higher risk of other diabetes-related complications such as blindness, kidney disease, and depression.

Not only is diabetes different for women, it’s different among women—African American, Hispanic/Latina, American Indian/Alaska Native, and Asian/Pacific Islander women are more likely to have diabetes than white women.

How you manage diabetes may need to change over time depending on what’s happening in your life. Here’s what to expect and what you can do to stay on track.