Diabetes in women: The global perspective

The prevalence of diabetes, and type 2 diabetes in particular, in women is increasing worldwide, although it is more pronounced in low-income countries. This increase is mostly due to population ageing and the ubiquitous rise in prevalence of obesity. Some of this rise is potentially preventable through lifestyle changes. A higher proportion of deaths in women than in men is attributable to diabetes. This article provides an overview of the specificities of diabetes in women and the implications of diabetes onset shifting to women of reproductive age. (C) 2008 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.