Fasting blood glucose

[Maz2]

I am getting a little confused at what constitutes pre-diabetes and diabetes as far as fasting blood glucose is concerned. I know hba1c 42/43 is classed as pre-diabetes and that diabetes is 48 plus. However, I thought that fasting blood glucose was 6.0/6.1 up to 6.4 was for pre and 6.5 for diabetes.

I read somewhere that they are now saying it is 5.5 or 5.8. I would have thought that if it was that low millions more people would be caught up in it. I always believed the 5s as fasting bloods were OK.

 

[Bubbsie]

Hi Mazz...see the recommendations below...they may help.

• Normal: Below 42 mmol/mol (6.0%)
• Prediabetes: 42 to 47 mmol/mol (6.0 to 6.4%)
• Diabetes: 48 mmol/mol (6.5% or over)

 

[Maz2]

Hi Mazz...see the recommendations below...they may help.

• Normal: Below 42 mmol/mol (6.0%)
• Prediabetes: 42 to 47 mmol/mol (6.0 to 6.4%)
• Diabetes: 48 mmol/mol (6.5% or over)

Thanks Bubbsie. That is exactly what I thought they were.

 

[Copepod]

You're right, Maz2. One of the reasons for numbers of people with diabetes increasing is because diagnostic criteria keep being tightened up. Bubbsie's figures apply only to HbA1c, not fasting blood glucose levels, which are measured in mmol/l in UK.

 

[Maz2]

When I was told I was pre-diabetic my GP said that years ago they would not have worried about me but they are trying now to catch people before they go fully diabetic in case some people can avoid it, although it is not always the case that they can.

My friend Gill was diagnosed diabetic and they told her that a few years ago she would have been OK but they have brought down the levels. One of my colleague at work was told she is pre-diabetic. She said she could not understand it as the last time she had a test it was lower than this one and they told her previously she was OK. They admitted the levels have been reduced.

I think it was in the US that you cannot go above 5.5 fasting blood glucose until you are deemed "pre-diabetic." It seems no wonder to me that so many Americans are being diagnosed pre-diabetic or diabetic if the levels are that low. I did read though that the World Health Organisation does not agree with it being that low.

I must admit though I am glad that the GP did pick it up as I would rather be given a chance to try to do something about it even though there is no guarantee.

 

[grovesy]

They keep reviewing the criteria, terminology and how it is diagnosed.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

When I was told I was pre-diabetic my GP said that years ago they would not have worried about me but they are trying now to catch people before they go fully diabetic in case some people can avoid it, although it is not always the case that they can.

That's the positive way of looking at it. Giving people the opportunity to reduce carb intake/lose extra weight if they have it/increase activity if able so that they can avoid a full-blown diagnosis.

I think it was in the US that you cannot go above 5.5 fasting blood glucose until you are deemed "pre-diabetic." It seems no wonder to me that so many Americans are being diagnosed pre-diabetic or diabetic if the levels are that low. I did read though that the World Health Organisation does not agree with it being that low.

A cynic might say that if medicatino manufacturers are able to publish studies that encourage reduction in the criteria, then more people will be affected... and they will have a much larger market for their product. After all it wasn't very many years ago that 'prediabetes' was not even a thing.

I think it's much better to look on the positive side, and see this as a potential motivator for people to take positive action now to protect their future health.