Being Diagnosed

How is diabetes diagnosed?

There are several ways to diagnose diabetes. Testing should always be done by healthcare professionals (a doctor’s office or a lab).

A1C Test

The A1C test measures your average blood glucose (sugar) for the past two to three months. The advantages of being tested this way are that you don’t have to fast (not eat). Diabetes is diagnosed at an A1C of more than or equal to 6.5%.

Fasting Plasma Glucose (FPG) Test

This test checks your fasting blood glucose levels. Fasting means not having anything to eat or drink (except water) for at least eight hours before the test. This test is usually done first thing in the morning, before breakfast. You’ll be diagnosed with diabetes if your fasting blood glucose is more than or equal to 126 mg/dl.

Oral Glucose Tolerance (OGTT) Test

The OGTT is a two-hour test that checks your blood glucose levels before and two hours after you drink a special sweet drink. It tells the doctor how your body uses glucose. A reading of more than 200 mg/dl after two hours means you have diabetes.