Normal Blood Sugar Levels Chart
Blood sugar or glucose plays an essential role in helping the body function properly, especially in the nervous, lymphatic, skeletal, and muscular systems. Hence, proper blood sugar management is necessary to prevent it from increasing and decreasing, as well as prevent diabetes.
The normal blood sugar levels chart for adults ranges from 80 to 99 mg/dL before meals and 80 to 140 mg/dL after meals. A healthy person should stay in between these levels, which should be easy to achieve as long as they eat a balanced diet and exercise regularly. For more details on the normal blood sugar levels for all ages, consider the following information:
For children 6 years old and younger:
The normal blood sugar levels chart for children or pediatrics aged 6 years and younger includes the following:
- Fasting glucose is between 80 – 180 mg/dL
- Between 100 – 180 mg/dL before a meal
- After 180 mg/dL after 1-2 hours of food consumption
- 110 – 200 mg/dL at bedtime
For children 6 to 12 years old:
- Fasting glucose is between 80 – 180 mg/dL
- Between 90 – 180 mg/dL before a meal
- Up to 140 mg/dL after 1-2 hours of food consumption
- 100 – 180 mg/dL at bedtime
For teens between 13 to 19 years old:
- Fasting glucose is between 70 – 150 mg/dL
- Between 90 – 130 mg/dL before a meal
- Up to 140 after 1-2 hours of food consumption
- 90 – 150 mg/dL at bedtime
For adults 20+ years:
- Fasting glucose should be less than 100 mg/dL
- Between 70 – 130 mg/dL before a meal
- Less than 180 mg/dL after 1-2 hours of food consumption
- 100 – 140 mg/dL at bedtime
Note: Growing age is a significant factor affecting blood sugar levels. This is why many people at this age are diagnosed with diabetes. The age bracket of people who are usually diagnosed with the condition ranges from 40 to 70 years. Consider the following information:
The blood sugar levels chart by age 40 is the same as many adults in their early 20s. The details are as follows:
Fasting Glucose
Normal – 70 to 90 mg/dL
Pre-Diabetes – 100 to 125 mg/dL
Diabetes – More than 126 mg/dL
Postprandial (after eating)
Normal – Less than 140 mg/dL
Pre-Diabetes – 140 to 180 mg/dL
Diabetes – More than 200 mg/dL
Blood sugar levels by age 60:
The following are the normal blood sugar levels for older adults:
- The fasting target is 90 – 130 mg/dL
- The maximum bedtime target is 100 – 180 mg/dL
Normal blood sugar levels during pregnancy chart:
Gestational diabetes is a common medical illness during pregnancy. Healthcare professionals require pregnant women to have regular checkups to avoid such a condition. The following are the normal blood sugar levels during pregnancy chart:
- Before meal – 90 mg/dL
- Two hours after a meal – Below 12 mg/dL
- Eight hours after eating – 70 to 90 mg/dL
- Before bedtime – 100 to 140 mg/dL
Takeaway
It is important to note that age is only one of the many significant factors affecting blood glucose. Factors like medications, alcohol intake, stress, anxiety, dehydration, and overeating play a crucial role in the development of diabetes. This explains why regular checkups and having a healthy lifestyle are necessary to prevent diabetes and maintain normal blood sugar levels.
