Because there are so many different factors that can influence glucose levels, medical professionals shy away from using terms like “healthy” or “normal” when describing glucose levels. Instead, they have created a target range of 70 to 180 mg/dL. This target range is considered standard by most endocrinologists and diabetes educators. It is also the standard range suggested by the American Diabetes Association.
Some of the factors that can impact glucose levels include:
• Food intake
• Growth spurts
• Hormones
• Increased or decreased activity
• Medication
• Stress
• Time of day
The amount of time someone with type 1 diabetes has their glucose levels between 70-180 mg/dL is called their “time in range.”