Blood Sugar Unit Converter

mg/dL (milligrams per decilitre) is used in the United States and measures the mass of glucose in a given volume of blood. mmol/L (millimoles per litre) is used internationally and measures the number of glucose particles in the same volume. The conversion factor is 18.0182: divide mg/dL by 18.0182 to get mmol/L, or multiply mmol/L by 18.0182 to get mg/dL.

According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), a normal fasting blood sugar is less than 100 mg/dL (less than 5.6 mmol/L). Prediabetic range is 100 to 125 mg/dL (5.6 to 6.9 mmol/L). Diabetic range (diagnostic) is 126 mg/dL or higher (7.0 mmol/L or higher) on a fasting test. These are reference ranges for informational purposes only. Consult your healthcare provider for interpretation of your personal results.

The United States, India, and Brazil use mg/dL. Most of the world, including Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and European countries, use mmol/L. The converter automatically translates between the two systems to support global use.

HbA1c (glycated haemoglobin or glycosylated haemoglobin) is a measure of average blood glucose levels over the past 2 to 3 months. It is reported as a percentage. An HbA1c of 5.7% or less is considered normal, 5.7% to 6.4% indicates prediabetes, and 6.5% or higher indicates diabetes. HbA1c is a more stable indicator of glucose control than a single fasting measurement.

Fasting blood sugar is measured after at least 8 hours without food or drink (except water). Post-prandial (post-meal) blood sugar is measured 2 hours after eating. Random blood sugar can be measured at any time. The ADA reference ranges vary by test type: fasting normal is less than 100 mg/dL; post-meal normal is less than 140 mg/dL.