Normal and Diabetic Blood Sugar Level Ranges
Blood glucose ranges for adults and children differ slightly
Understanding blood glucose level ranges is key to both diabetes diagnosis and diabetes self-management.
This page states 'normal' blood sugar ranges and blood sugar ranges for adults and children with type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes and blood sugar ranges to determine people with diabetes.
If a person with diabetes has a meter, test strips and is testing, it's important to know what the blood glucose level means.
Recommended blood glucose levels have a degree of interpretation for every individual.
The following ranges are guidelines provided by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) but each individual’s target range should be agreed by their doctor or diabetic consultant.
Recommended target blood glucose level ranges
The International Diabetes Federation have specified the following blood glucose levels: [19]
| Target Levels by Type |
Before meals (pre prandial) |
2 hours after (post prandial) |
|---|---|---|
| Non-diabetic | 4.0 to 5.9 mmol/L | under 7.8 mmol/L* |
| Type 2 diabetes | 4 to 7 mmol/L | under 8.5 mmol/L |
| Type 1 diabetes | 4 to 7 mmol/L | under 9 mmol/L |
| Children w/ diabetes | 4 to 8 mmol/L | under 10 mmol/L |
Normal blood sugar ranges
For the majority of healthy individuals, normal blood sugar levels are as follows:
- The normal blood glucose level in humans is about 4 mM (4 mmol/L or 72 mg/dL)
- The body, when operating normally, restores the blood sugar level to a range of about 4.4 to 6.1 mmol/L (82 to 110 mg/dL)
- Shortly after eating the blood glucose level may rise temporarily up to 7.8 mmol/L (140 mg/dL)
Blood glucose ranges for type 2 diabetes
- Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
- 2 hours after meals: under 8.5 mmol/l
Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (adults)
- Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
- 2 hours after meals: under 9 mmols/l
Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (children)
- Before meals: 4 to 8 mmol/l
- 2 hours after meals: under 10 mmols/l
Blood sugar ranges to determine people with diabetes
Impaired fasting glycemia test
When being tested for diabetes, blood sugar levels will normally be taken after around eight hours of fasting.
During this blood sugar levels are put into the following categories:
- Normal: 4.0 to 5.9 mmol/l (70 to 107 mg/dl)
- Prediabetes or Impaired Glucose Glycemia: 6.0 to 6.9 mmol/l (108 to 126 mg/dl)
- Diagnosis of diabetes: more than 6.9 mmol/l (126 mg/dl)
Read more on impaired fasting glycemia.
Impaired glucose tolerance test
An impaired glucose tolerance test involves taking a concentrated amount of glucose and then measuring blood sugar levels after two hours.
Impaired glucose tolerance or diabetes is diagnosed as follows:
- Normal: under 7.8 mmol/l (140 mg/dl)
- Prediabetes or Impaired Glucose Tolerance: 7.9 to 11.1 mmol/l (141 to 200 mg/dl)
- Diagnosis of diabetes: more than 11.1 mmol/l (200 mg/dl)
