What your report is telling you
The American Diabetes Association puts prediabetes at any of these results:
- an HbA1c of 5.7 to 6.4% (American Diabetes Association);
- a fasting sugar of 100 to 125 mg/dL (American Diabetes Association);
- a two-hour glucose tolerance result of 140 to 199 mg/dL (American Diabetes Association).
At 6.5%, 126 or 200 and above, the result points to diabetes, and the ADA says each test usually needs repeating on a second day before diabetes is diagnosed (American Diabetes Association).
- Normal below 5.7%
- Prediabetes 5.7% to 6.4%
- Diabetes range 6.5% or more
By the American Diabetes Association's cut-offs. Scale in %.
Reading your own report
Your lab may print slightly different cut-offs, so read your number against your own report.
The glossary explains HbA1c and fasting blood sugar, and the HbA1c converter shows the average blood sugar your HbA1c stands for.
What happens next
Prediabetes does not mean diabetes is certain.
The ADA says early treatment can sometimes bring your sugar back into the normal range, and it suggests getting checked every one to two years (American Diabetes Association).
Two numbers to start with: 7% and 30 minutes
The ADA's advice is to:
- lose about 7% of your body weight if you are carrying extra (American Diabetes Association);
- get moderate exercise such as brisk walking for 30 minutes a day, five days a week (American Diabetes Association).
In the research it cites, these steps lowered the risk of type 2 diabetes by 58% (American Diabetes Association). At 70 kg, 7% is about 5 kg.
The ICMR-NIN guidelines say much the same for Indians:
- 30 to 45 minutes of brisk walking or other moderate activity (ICMR-NIN guidelines);
- slow, steady weight loss rather than extreme diets (ICMR-NIN guidelines).
How to build the plate
Roti and rice stay. What changes is how much, and what sits next to them.
The ICMR-NIN guidelines ask for:
- whole grains and millets over refined grains (ICMR-NIN guidelines);
- plenty of pulses (ICMR-NIN guidelines);
- at least 400 g of vegetables a day, with vegetables in every meal (ICMR-NIN guidelines).
So on the thali:
- half goes to sabzi and salad;
- a katori of dal or chana goes on it;
- the roti or rice is a measured portion, not a heap.
A cooked roti and a katori of moong dal are worked out on their own pages, so you can see what a portion really carries.
The diabetic breakfast options are portioned by the same rules as the sample diet charts.
Sugar and packaged food
Sugar is where to start cutting. The ICMR-NIN guidelines keep sugar under 5% of the day's energy for adults (ICMR-NIN guidelines).
They ask us to keep foods high in fat, sugar and salt, and ultra-processed foods, to a minimum (ICMR-NIN guidelines).
For most people that means:
- the sugar in chai;
- the biscuits with it;
- mithai;
- packaged drinks.
What goes on the plate
Each of these is rated a good choice for diabetes on its own food page, and the reason after it is that rating, worked out for a normal serving.
- JowarGood choiceAs a roti.3.1 g of fibre for 20.3 g of carbohydrate, which slows the rise in sugar.
- BajraGood choiceAs a roti, especially in winter.3.4 g of fibre for 18.5 g of carbohydrate, which slows the rise in sugar.
- RagiGood choiceAs a roti or a porridge without sugar.3.4 g of fibre for 20 g of carbohydrate, which slows the rise in sugar.
- Atta (whole wheat flour)Good choiceYour usual roti, in a measured portion.3.4 g of fibre for 19.3 g of carbohydrate, which slows the rise in sugar.
- Moong dalGood choiceA katori at lunch or dinner.2.8 g of fibre for 15.8 g of carbohydrate, which slows the rise in sugar.
- Chana dalGood choiceAs dal, or as besan in a chilla.4.5 g of fibre for 14 g of carbohydrate, which slows the rise in sugar.
- Kala chana (whole Bengal gram)Good choiceBoiled, or in a chaat.7.6 g of fibre for 11.9 g of carbohydrate, which slows the rise in sugar.
- Rajma (kidney beans)Good choiceA katori with a small portion of rice.5.3 g of fibre for 14.9 g of carbohydrate, which slows the rise in sugar.
- Spinach (Palak)Good choiceIn dal or as a sabzi.Only 2 g of carbohydrate in a 100 g serving.
- Cauliflower (Phul gobi)Good choiceAs a sabzi.Only 2 g of carbohydrate in a 100 g serving.
- Paneer (Chhena)Good choiceIn a bhurji or a tikka.Only 6.2 g of carbohydrate in a 50 g serving.
- Boiled eggGood choiceIf you eat eggs.Almost no carbohydrate in a 50 g serving.
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What to keep small
Not banned. Just smaller, and less often. The reason after each food on this site is its own rating for diabetes.
- White riceLimitA measured katori with dal and sabzi, not the whole plate.About 31.3 g of carbohydrate in a 40 g serving, with very little fibre to slow it.
- MaidaLimitNaan, bhatura, white bread and bakery.Refined flour: the bran is milled away, so a 30 g serving has about 22.3 g of carbohydrate and only 0.8 g of fibre to slow it.
- Gud (jaggery)LimitIt is sugar too.4.2 g of sugar in one teaspoon (5 g).
- Dates (khajoor)LimitVery sweet, even though they are fruit.16 g of sugar in a 24 g serving.
- Raisins (Kishmish)Eat in moderationSweet like dates.About 10.7 g of carbohydrate in a 15 g serving, 9.2 g of it sugar, so keep to this portion.
- Sweet chai, mithai, biscuits and namkeenFoods high in fat, sugar and salt, which the ICMR-NIN guidelines ask us to keep to a minimum (ICMR-NIN guidelines).
- Fruit juice and soft drinksThe guidelines prefer fresh fruit to juice (ICMR-NIN guidelines).
Questions people ask
Can prediabetes be reversed?
Sometimes. The ADA says early treatment can sometimes return blood sugar to the normal range, and that prediabetes does not automatically become type 2 diabetes (American Diabetes Association).
Keep getting tested every one to two years (American Diabetes Association).
Can I eat rice if I have prediabetes?
Yes, in a measured katori, with dal and sabzi on the same plate.
White rice is rated "limit" for diabetes on its food page, at a katori made from 40 g of raw rice.
So keep it to that one measured katori rather than a heaped plate.
Which roti is best for prediabetes?
Jowar, bajra, ragi and whole wheat atta are all rated a good choice for diabetes on their food pages. The portion matters as much as the flour.
How much should I walk with prediabetes?
The ADA suggests 30 minutes of moderate exercise such as brisk walking, five days a week (American Diabetes Association).
Is fruit OK in prediabetes?
Whole fruit, yes. Guava is rated "eat in moderation" for diabetes on its food page, and orange is rated "eat in moderation". The ICMR-NIN guidelines prefer fresh fruit to juice (ICMR-NIN guidelines).
Where this comes from
Every number and medical fact on this page comes from one of these, and each one is named where it is used.
- American Diabetes Association: Understanding diabetes diagnosis (prediabetes ranges and prevention)
- ICMR-NIN: Dietary Guidelines for Indians (2024), English booklet
- Indian Food Composition Tables 2017, National Institute of Nutrition (ICMR)
Food numbers are from the Indian Food Composition Tables 2017, National Institute of Nutrition (ICMR), as shown on each food page.
This is general guidance, not medical advice. Follow your doctor on any medicine, its dose and its timing.
Where to go next
Read how Puja works on diabetes and prediabetes, or the full foods to eat and avoid in diabetes list.
To see what a full day looks like, open the diabetes sample diet charts or the diabetic breakfast options.
Words from this page, explained
Want this worked out for you?
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