Women's Health Wednesday: Diabetes

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) - Tomorrow is World Diabetes Day. While both men and women are affected by the disease that causes high blood sugar, women face greater risks from the condition and can experience some different symptoms.

World Diabetes Day is the world’s largest diabetes awareness campaign. According to the International Diabetes Federation, it reaches a global audience of over 1 billion people in over 160 countries. It's all in an effort to improve the lives of people with diabetes and prevent diabetes in those at risk. 

According to the Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC), women with diabetes have a higher risk of complications like heart disease, vision loss, kidney disease and depression. The chronic disease can also impact sexual and reproductive health for women.

The CDC also says African American, Hispanic/Latina, American Indian/Alaska Native, and Asian/Pacific Islander women are more likely to have diabetes than White women.

Prevention is the key and there is a special program right here in our area, that people can take advantage of. Dr. Olanrewaju Adedokun, a family medicine physician with St. Peter's Family Health Center, talks more about it in this week's Women's Health Wednesday.