Target Blood Sugar Level

Ask your doctor what a reasonable blood sugar range is for you. Your doctor will set target blood sugar test results based on several factors, including:

  • Type and severity of diabetes
  • Age
  • How long you've had diabetes
  • Pregnancy status
  • The presence of diabetes complications
  • Overall health and the presence of other medical conditions

The American Diabetes Association (ADA) generally recommends the following target blood sugar levels:

Blood Sugar Levels
Before Meals
Two hours after meals
80 and 130 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) or 4.4 to 7.2 millimoles per liter (mmol/L)

Less than 180 mg/dL (10.0 mmol/L)

But the ADA notes that these goals often vary depending on your age and personal health and should be individualized. 

Q- Why to test blood sugar Levels?  

Blood sugar testing provides useful information for diabetes management. It can help you: 

  • Monitor the effect of diabetes medications on blood sugar levels
  • Identify blood sugar levels that are high or low
  • Track your progress in reaching your overall treatment goals
  • Learn how diet and exercise affect blood sugar levels
  • Understand how other factors, such as illness or stress, affect blood sugar levels

Q- When to test your blood sugar Levels?

Your doctor will let you know how often to check your blood sugar levels. The frequency of testing usually depends on the type of diabetes you have and your treatment plan.

Q- How to monitor your Blood Sugar Levels?

Blood sugar testing requires the use of a blood sugar meter. The meter measures the amount of sugar in a small sample of blood, usually from your fingertip, that you place on a disposable test strip. Even if you use a CGM, you'll still need a blood sugar meter to calibrate your CGM device daily.

Your doctor or diabetes educator can recommend an appropriate device for you. He or she can also help you learn how to use your meter.

Follow the instructions that come with your blood sugar meter. In general, here's how the process works:

  1. Wash and dry your hands well. (Food and other substances can give you an inaccurate reading.)
  2. Insert a test strip into your meter.
  3. Prick the side of your fingertip with the needle (lancet) provided with your test kit.
  4. Touch and hold the edge of the test strip to the drop of blood.
  5. The meter will display your blood sugar level on a screen after a few seconds.

Some meters can test blood taken from an alternate site, such as the forearm or palm. But these readings may not be as accurate as readings from the fingertips, especially after a meal or during exercise, when blood sugar levels change more frequently. Alternate sites aren't recommended for use in calibrating CGMs.


Reference- 1. Blood sugar testing: Why, when and how. (2018). Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/diabetes/in-depth/blood-sugar/art-20046628

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