What is impaired fasting glucose (IFG)?
Impaired fasting glucose (IFG) is a term to describe when a person has elevated blood sugar (blood glucose) in the morning before eating or drinking.
IFGT is diagnosed when fasting blood sugar levels are not normal, but not high enough to be classified as diabetes.
IFG is one reason why a person may be diagnosed with pre-diabetes. IFG carries an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Fasting Blood Sugar (Glucose) Ranges
(per the American Diabetes Association Guidelines)
| Fasting Glucose Ranges | Indication |
| From 70 to 99 mg/dL, or 3.9 to 5.5. mmol/L | Normal glucose tolerance, not diabetic |
| From 100 to 125 mg/dL, or 5.6 to 6.9 mmol/L | Impaired fasting glucose (IGF), or Pre-diabetes |
| 126 mg/dL or higher, or 7.0 or higher | Diabetes |
Note: Morning fasting glucose for pregnant women should be 95 mg/dL (5.3 mmol/L) or lower.
You Can Improve Fasting Glucose Levels
Lifestyle changes including weight loss and an exercise program, as well as oral medications can improve glucose tolerance and morning fasting blood sugars. Even if you only start small, it is important that you do begin to take proactive steps to adopt a healthier lifestyle.
Pre-diabetes is a wake-up call that you may be heading towards developing full-blown type 2 diabetes. Although pre-diabetes can be reversed in many cases, there is no cure for type 2 diabetes and if you do become diabetic, it is for life.
There is no cure for type 2 (or type 1) diabetes, but pre-diabetes can often be completely reversed with proper medical intervention and changes in lifestyle.
Pre-diabetes is similar to type 2 diabetes in that a person with pre-diabetes makes insulin, but either their body resists it, they may not make enough, or a combination of both. The differentiation between the two is really all in your blood sugar numbers, so it is important that you take pre-diabetes very seriously.
