Diabetes and high level of sugar has become an everyday discussion for the Indian households. You might be wondering that how the blood tests have changed from prescribing for a “blood sugar test” to HBA1C. Is this worth worrying? What is HBA1C test? Is it complicated? Let’s discuss more about the test and its linkages with blood sugar in this article.
Normal HbA1c by Age: Levels & How to Control | Health Guide
HbA1c tests is particularly conducted because not everyone’s blood sugar level can be assessed with a single scale. For example, the blood sugar level’s reference scale for a teenager will be very different from that of an adult. Age is not the only parameter. It revolves around multiple parameters such as the metabolism, nutritional needs and changes of the body and related factors. However, age is the immediate identifying component associated with all these parameters, hence it is taken as the basis of analysing the blood sugar level as per your context.
We will discuss the sample reference scale for multiple age groups in detail. Before that, let’s get started getting familiar with the concept of HbA1C and its importance.
What is HbA1c and Why is it Important?
Glycated hemoglobin – HbA1C stands as the short form of Glycated Hemoglobin. This is a blood test that gives an average of your blood sugar (glucose) levels that is seen across the past 2-3 months. This is different from the normal blood sugar test even conducted as fasting or after food. HbA1c is the recommended test because it reflects a person’s long term sugar control and long term sugar effect.
Let us see how this work! When sugar enters your blood, be it the excess sugar or even the desired amount of sugar- it sticks to a protein called hemoglobin. This is an important component that is present inside your red blood cells. The higher the level of sugar in your blood, the greater that it sticks. The HbA1c test tells you what percentage of your hemoglobin is coated or affected with sugar.
Do you get why this is important? It is because sugar can be dangerous than you think. Excess amount of sugar level can damage your nerves, kidneys, eyes, and heart particularly if it’s floating around your bloodstream in an uncontrolled manner or improper fashion. Keep your HbA1c within the suggested range means to make sure that you’re managing your diabetes well and also protecting your organs from malfunctioning.
Unlike the regular blood test, it is not about relying on one basic reading. It is about how you’re doing over time.
Normal HbA1c Chart by Age Group for India
HbA1c levels are affected by various factors including your age, lifestyle, food habits and whether you have diabetes or if your family has a diabetic history. Here’s a rough guide to what’s considered a healthy HbA1c range as per your age group. These are only general numbers intended to provide you a reference scale. And as always, your doctor may suggest a different target based on your health condition, so always seek the doctor’s consultation – which is considered as the optimal scale.
HbA1c Levels for Children and Young Adults
In children and adolescents (below 20 years), especially those with Type 1 diabetes, the target can vary, it is slightly flexible. That’s because kids are still growing, their metabolism can vary and their sugar levels can be unpredictable.
- Normal (non-diabetic): Less than 5.7%
- Pre-diabetes: 5.7% to 6.4%
- Diabetes: 6.5% or higher
For diabetic children, doctors often aim for an HbA1c of around 7.5% or lower. However, it is the scale that is observed to avoid risking the chances of frequent hypoglycemia (low sugar).
In India, with the rise of Type 2 diabetes even among school kids due to junk food, screen time, and lack of outdoor play, it’s more important than ever to monitor sugar from an early age. It is also because the taste buds developed from childhood determines their cravings and interest for excess sugary substances.
HbA1c Levels for Adults (20–60 Years)
For most healthy adults without diabetes, the scale range for HbA1c is almost static.
- Normal: Below 5.7%
- Pre-diabetic: Between 5.7% and 6.4%
- Diabetic: 6.5% or more
Your HbA1c target should typically be less than 7% if you have Type 2 diabetes. Otherwise, you are roughly considered healthy. However, in order to prevent sugar getting low, your doctor may choose to settle for a slightly higher figure if you are someone with a more complicated medical condition.
You should establish healthy habits in your 20s and 50s, such as eating regularly, maintaining a balanced diet, and engaging in some kind of physical activity. Consider this stage to be building a mechanism for prevention.
HbA1c Levels for Older Adults (60+ Years)
As we age, the risks of low blood sugar also increase. This does not only mean a spike in the sugar level, but can also be falls, confusion, or weakness from hypoglycemia. This can be dangerous. So, the HbA1c target becomes slightly relaxed to avoid those episodes.
- Healthy older adults (60+): Around 7%–7.5%
- Older adults with health issues or limited life expectancy: 7.5%–8.5%
In the Indian diet, many of us also struggle with diabetes due to our diet preferences (excessive rice, sweets during festivals) and lazy or sedentary habits. Regular check-ups and a gentle diet change can make a big difference. You need not completely avoid rice, but limit the quantity and include protein and fibres as well. Do not forget to get some good stretches and a little bit cardio exercise. Even brisk walking helps a lot!
Simple Ways to Control Your HbA1c Levels
Don’t be intimated with the tough name of HbA1c and while seeing the medical charts. Reducing your HbA1c does not require you to give up your favourite food entirely! (But, if it is all the sugary and no-fibre food that you love, then it is a different story!) Small changes in your life can make it controllable. It’s about making manageable, small, consistent decisions. These are the best strategies for taking charge of your diabetes prevention that you can implement right now.
Healthy Food Choices
Food is love, but also food is life. Whether it is a plate of steaming hot rice with our favourite dal, or a strong cup of tea, we love our food. And we don’t have to give up that. But we need to balance it well. Balance is the key.
• At least a few times a week, opt for whole grains like brown rice, red rice, or millets.
• Increase your intake of leafy greens (tambdi bhaji, methi, spinach), vegetables, and legumes to increase your intake of fibre.
• Limit refined flours and sugars; stay away from sweetened beverages, white bread, and baked products (avoid all-purpose flour to the maximum)
• Add healthy fats, nuts and seeds. A small amount of coconut oil or olive oil is preferable. Avoid deep fried snacks.
• To prevent sugar spikes, ensure that you eat smaller, more frequent meals.
Keep in mind that it’s more important to use sugar wisely than to avoid it altogether. We actually need some sugar. So, it’s okay to indulge in some amounts of sweets. However, we strongly recommend you to cut down the sugar in your caffeine.
Regular Exercise
You don’t need a gym membership or an expensive yoga mat to get your body moving.
Regular exercise doesn’t always mean an expensive gym membership! Neither a yoga mat or a sports club. Just start moving your body! From as simple as skipping (jumping ropes) to a mountain trekking, any types of physical activity can help your muscles use up sugar. Hence, you can naturally lower your HbA1c levels. Some simple exercises suggested are;
• Step out in the morning or evening. Even walking or brisk walking for just 30 minutes a day can make a big difference.
• Explore local activities and cultural games. These can be at festivals, tending to your garden, or riding your cycle to get the groceries.
• Simple stretches, yoga, or even climbing the stairs at home all count too. The secret is to stay consistent. And if you’re short on time, break it up into smaller chunks of activities like 10 minutes in the morning and 15 minutes in the evening. That still does the trick! (as long as you stay consistent!)
Stress Management
Don’t undervalue this one. Even in burden-free lifestyle, often stress manages to dominate our pace of living. Stress, whether from work-related demands, family obligations, or health concerns, alters hormones that in turn affect the levels of blood sugar.
• Try meditation, deep breathing, or even just spending five minutes in nature.
• Make time for your favourite activities, such as reading, cooking, hobbies, and music.
• Speak with a friend, relative, or an expert if necessary. It is a good idea to reconnect with your school or college alumni.
Exactly as you know now, long-term stress can increase your HbA1c. Watch out on your emotional baggage in the same way that you control what you eat.
Following Your Doctor’s Advice
Although it may seem obvious, many of us take unprescribed medicines or consume prescribed drugs irregularly. We often think, “I’m feeling okay today, I can skip one medicine for now”. However, the symptoms of diabetes and other sugar-related conditions are not always evident so quickly. It is important to be consistent with your medication.
- Whether it’s insulin, metformin, or any herbal remedy you’ve discussed with your doctor, make sure to take your prescriptions on time.
- Avoid mimicking a doctor (we can’t do that well anyway!) And don’t change dosages without discussing with your doctor.
- Get regular blood tests, particularly tests such as the HbA1c, every three to six months, or as directed.
- Be truthful with your doctor about any changes that you make or if you happen to develop any new symptoms.
Prevention and control are always preferred to fixing problems later. Adequate care must be given to your health.
Factors That Can Affect Your HbA1c Levels
HbA1c may seem like just a number like many of your other lab reports but, it holds a lot of details about your daily life. To put it nicely, don’t take HbA1c casually! ; ) It indicates what you eat, how much you move, how stressed you are, and even whether you’ve been sick lately.
Impact of Diet on HbA1c
Eating high-carb foods, refined sugars, and starchy meals on a regular basis can keep your blood sugar elevated over time. And since HbA1c shows the average of your blood sugar over the last 2-3 months, those habits will show up loud and project risks.
Tweaking a few things in our daily diet can be very helpful. It would look like switching to (or ensuring the frequent intake) of red or brown rice instead of polished white, using oils in moderation, and adding more fiber-rich food such as veggies like bhindi, tamarind brinjal, or drumstick leaves. Choose to consume whole fruits instead of fruit juices, so that you benefit from the dietary fibre content of the natural fruits.
Also, cutting down portion sizes and avoiding sugar-heavy desserts after every meal can really lower those sugar spikes. The small changes add up over time.
The Role of Physical Activity in Managing HbA1c
This is a mandatory need! Exercises help our body to use insulin better, which means our blood sugar gets used up more efficiently. This reduces the chances of sugar to be just hanging around in our bloodstream which can consequently raising your average levels.
You don’t have to do anything extreme as a physical activity. A brisk 30-minute walk to your bus stop, dancing at a wedding, playing kabaddi, or even cycling through your village can all be good exercises. Only make sure that you do it for a good amount of time and regularly.
If you’ve been mostly inactive till now, please start slow. Stretch at home, do light housework, and slowly build up the momentum.
How Stress Can Influence Blood Sugar and HbA1c
When you’re stressed, your body releases hormones like cortisol, which tell your liver to release more glucose into the bloodstream. But when the stress is constant, that extra sugar becomes a problem. So even if your diet and activity are okay, high stress levels can quietly cause to shoot up your HbA1c. That’s why managing stress is equally important as managing food.
Find what calms you, like praying, meditation, gardening, music or even drawing. Pause, and take some breaks (both from work and ‘life).
The Effect of Illnesses on HbA1c Readings
When you’re feeling sick be it a simple cold or a very serious infection, your body step up its process to get into its defence mode. It releases extra sugar into blood, giving you more energy, thinking that your body needs a fuel to fight against the thing that is making you ill. That temporary spike in blood sugar can cause your HbA1c levels to go up, even if the sickness lasts for a couple of days.
Also, many medicines we take when we are unwell, like steroids or antibiotics can also raise your blood sugar levels. It may be temporary.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Please find a few questions that people often ask related to HbA1c.
What is a good HbA1c level for a diabetic person?
For most diabetic adults, a good target is below 7%. But this is not the same scale for everyone. For people with other health conditions, or those who are at risk of hypoglycemia (sugar dropping too low), the doctors might set a slightly higher reference scale such as 7.5% or even 8%.
Can diet alone control HbA1c?
Yes! Particularly in the early stages of diabetes or if your family has a diabetic history, diet can play a huge role. A well-balanced diet that focuses on low-glycemic foods, high fiber, moderate proteins, and healthy fats can lower your average sugar levels significantly. When this is combined with some daily movement and stress control, it is possible to reverse HbA1c without medications.
However, for people with chronic or more severe diabetes, diet alone may not be enough. In such cases, medication becomes inevitable. Even then, the diet would still play a major role.
How often should I get my HbA1c test done?
If you’re managing your diabetes well, checking every 6 months is enough. But if you’ve just been diagnosed, or your sugar levels are showing frequent fluctuations, then your doctor might recommend testing every 3 months to closely monitor your progress.
For those who are not diabetic but have risk factors, it is a good idea to get tested once a year or as part of your routine body check-up.
Pro Tip: Consider the HbA1C similar to a sugar audit. Like how your monetary audit explains your financial habits, this audit talks about your lifestyle habits and its effect on your overall health.