What are the Fasting and Pre-Meal Blood Glucose Goals for a Person with Diabetes?
What Is a Healthy Fasting Blood Sugar (Glucose) Level for a Person With Diabetes?
According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA) clinical practice recommendations, updated annually, a healthy fasting and before eating a meal blood glucose level should be in the range of 80 – 130 mg/dL.1 Fasting is considered the point at which a person rises from sleep and before eating food.
It is important for people with diabetes to work with their healthcare providers to develop a personalized diabetes care plan that helps them achieve this healthy fasting blood glucose goal after diagnosis and over time. If a person is not meeting this goal they and their healthcare provider may need to make a change in their diabetes care plan. However, for some people this goal may not be achievable. For this reason the ADA guidelines advise that goals for glucose management should be personalized based on many individual factors, such as current lifestyle, mental health and ability to afford and adhere to a medication regimen among others.2
It is important to note that this healthy fasting and before eating glucose level is for the management of diabetes. It is not related to the glucose level used for the diagnosis of diabetes. Normal BG is under 100 mg/dL.3
1: American Diabetes Association. Glycemic Targets: Standards of medical care in diabetes – 2021. Diabetes Care. 2021;44(Supp 1):S73-S84.
2: American Diabetes Association. Comprehensive medical evaluation and assessment of comorbidities: Standards of medical care in diabetes – 2021. Diabetes Care. 2021;44(Supp 1):S40-52.
3: American Diabetes Association. Classification and diagnosis of diabetes: Standards of medical care in diabetes – 2021. Diabetes Care. 2021;44(Supp 1):S15-33.
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