Diabetes Blood Sugar Goals
Q. I have diabetes, what should my blood sugar be?
A. Ultimately your goal should be to get your blood sugar as close as possible to normal.
Strive to get blood sugar close to that of a healthy person who does not have diabetes.
A normal fasting blood sugar is less than 100 mg/dl.
Where should blood sugar be to avoid complications?
Several organizations provide recommendations for blood sugar testing goals.
The goal of blood sugar depends on when you are testing - fasting, before a meal (pre-prandial), or after a meal (post-prandial).
Each organization below provides guidelines for a variety of blood sugar testing times.
What are normal blood sugar ranges for healthy people?
The American Diabetes Association acknowledges these as normal blood sugar for healthy people who do not have diabetes:
- fasting/before eating <100 mg/dl
- 2 hours after eating (post-prandial) <140 mg/dl
- A1c blood sugar test (3 month blood sugar indicator) 4-6%
What does the American Diabetes Association recommend for those with diabetes?
The American Diabetes Association recommends the following blood sugar goals for those with diabetes:
- before eating (pre-prandial) 70-130 mg/dl
- 1-2 hours after eating (peak post-prandial) <180 mg/dl
- A1c blood sugar test (3 month blood sugar indicator) <7%
What do other organizations recommend for blood sugar goals?
The American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (endocrinologists are medical doctors specializing in disorders including
diabetes) recommends the following blood sugar goals for those with diabetes:
- before eating (pre-prandial) 110 mg/dl
- 2 hours after eating (post-prandial) 140 mg/dl
- A1c blood sugar test (3 month blood sugar indicator) <6.5%
Each person may have different goals for treating their diabetes.
It is important to discuss blood sugar control goals with your diabetes educator or doctor so you know what to personally try to achieve.
Christine Carlson, MS, RD, BC-ADM, CDE
GlucoMenu® Nutrition Director
|
|
I am doing fabulous according to my diabetes educators
