Diabetes in women was different and difficult and studies showed that women with diabetes have it worse than men, renowned endocrinologist Dr Usha Sriram said today. 

Addressing a press conference to announce World Diabetes Day events on November 14 and DIWWAAAS (Diabetes in Women Worldwide Awareness Advocacy Action Strategies) here today, she said ''the theme for this year is women and diabetes.'' ''For the next one year, we are aiming to concentrate on this as it is important now'', she said, adding, there were equal number of men and women who have diabetes.

The campaign will coordinate with doctors, working women,home-makers, high school and college girls, care-givers, pregnant women and women with diabetes, she added. A social media campaign #Befree will be launched on the occasion.Apart from it, there would be a campaign involving college students to spread awareness about diabetes among women.Today, the world has over 450 million people with diabetes.  With over 7 0 million people suffering from the disease , India ranks second in the world.''One out of every two Indians with diabetes are woman and gestational diabetes has been increasing and it has risen nearly four-fold in 20 years'', Dr Usha Sriram said.

 This is due to urbanization and globalization and balancing traditional and non-traditional roles and stresses of modern 
living. ''Genetics, consumption of unhealthy food, physical inactivity, obesity, poverty, care giving and gender disparities are other 
important contributing factors for diabetes'', Dr Usha said.Women and girls were particularly vulnerable to diabetes and the incidence amongst them was rising. It affects them in many different ways ranging from higher risk of heart disease, stroke, eye disease, pregnancy-related complications, depression and financial burden.

Creating awareness among women through campaign was utmost the important, popular gynaecologist Dr Jayashree Gajaraj, who was also present, said.''We would like to educate girls and women about the myths, misconceptions, facts, figures, dos and don’ts of diabetes care and focus on prevention'', she said. ''We are an organization for the prevention of diabetes and its complications through awareness and advocacy and health promotion among girls and women especially with good lifestyle, yoga, meditation, preventive health evaluations and appropriate therapy'', she said. Dr Jayashree said DIWWAAAS believes that Healthy girls = Healthy Women = Healthy Mothers = Healthy Babies = Healthy Family = Healthy Nation. To mark the World Diabetes Day on November 14, Diwwaaas would be organising an event to disseminate awareness on prevention and control of diabetes. It will reach out to thousands of people of all age groups including doctors, working women, home-makers, high school and college girls, care-givers, pregnant women and women with diabetes. ''We will hold programs simultaneously in 100 cities across the 
country to mark the occasion'', she said