Women and Diabetes

Diabetes Facts

More than 9.1 million U.S. women have diabetes, and nearly one-third do not know they have the disease.
The most common complication in diabetes is cardiovascular disease. The risks are more serious among women than men. Deaths from heart disease in women with diabetes have increased by 23 percent over the past 30 years.
In 2004, diabetes was the fifth leading cause of death among women ages 45 to 54 and the seventh leading cause of death for women overall.
The prevalence of type 2 diabetes is two to four times higher among black, Hispanic, American Indian and Asian-Pacific Islander women than among white women.
The lifetime risk of diabetes is 50 percent for Hispanic females born in the United States in 2000.

Diabetes Costs

The total estimated cost of diabetes in 2007 was $174 billion, including $116 billion in medical expenditures and $58 billion in reduced national productivity.
Approximately $1 of every $5 spent on health care in the United States is for those diagnosed with diabetes.

Diabetes Control and Prevention

By losing 5 percent to 7 percent of their body weight and getting just 2 1/2 hours of physical activity per week, people with pre-diabetes can cut their risk for developing type 2 diabetes by more than half.
Outpatient training to help people self-manage their diabetes prevents hospitalization. Every $1 invested in such training can cut health care costs by up to $8.76.
Foot care programs that include regular examinations and patient education could prevent up to 85 percent of diabetes-related amputations.
Regular eye exams and timely treatment of complications could prevent up to 90 percent of diabetes-related blindness.

Sources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, American Diabetes Association, U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

U.S. Women Diagnosed with Diabetes

*These figures represent diagnoses of diabetes and do not reflect overall prevalence of the disease.

Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health, 2005.