Prediabetes is the stage before type 2 diabetes is diagnosed. During pre-diabetes, your blood glucose levels are increased above normal but are not high enough for a type 2 diabetes diagnosis. Therefore, it is the critical period before diabetes is diagnosed and, if spotted, may be improved with simple changes to your lifestyle. Prediabetes is often used to describe two conditions. Impaired fasting glucose (IFT), when your blood glucose levels are increased after a period of fasting, or impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) where your blood sugar levels are increased beyond normal after eating. It is not an uncommon condition either, up to 7 million people in the UK are believed to be prediabetic.

What is the test for diabetes type 2?

An HbA1c blood test is the gold standard for diagnosing diabetes type 2. It gives an average measure of your blood glucose levels over the last 2-3 months.

Is the amount of people with diabetes growing?

In the UK, 4.7 million people have diabetes and this is expected to rise to 5.5 million within the next decade. 90% of people who have had a diagnosis have type 2 diabetes whereas type 1 accounts for around 8%. Yet the actual figure could be higher because there is an estimated one million people living with type 2 diabetes in the UK who haven’t been diagnosed. The prevalence of type 2 diabetes is a problem, not least because it costs the NHS a staggering £173 million per week. The increase in obesity is largely to blame for the rise in type 2 diabetes cases. In fact, it is the biggest risk factor for the development of the condition. Yet, by taking control of your own health and understand what’s really going on inside you, you can take positive action to lower your risk by making changes to your lifestyle.

What is an HbA1c blood test for?

An HbA1c test is used to test for prediabetes or type 2 diabetes in adults. Unlike other tests, it gives you an average blood glucose reading over a period of up to three months rather than at the time of testing. It is often considered the gold standard in diabetes testing.

What is a healthy HbA1c level?

For people who do not have type 2 diabetes, a normal HbA1c level is between 20-42mmol/mol.

What can cause a high HbA1c level?

Several factors can contribute to an increase in HbA1c levels such as obesity or being overweight, lack of exercise, an unhealthy diet, diabetes, stress and even some medications.

What can I do to reduce my HbA1c level?

There are several things you can do to help lower your HbA1c level such as eat a healthier diet consisting of low glycaemic index foods, exercise regularly, reduce stress and lose weight are just a few. Use our at home HbA1c blood test to monitor and check your HbA1c levels.

Get a £5 voucher for you or to pass on when you order this test today.

HbA1c Blood Test

Our HbA1c blood test measures average blood glucose levels over a 10-12 week period. Gain accurate data on the amount of sugar in your diet and reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes.

£42

+ £5 Voucher when you order today

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Did you know?

Around 850,000 people could be living with diabetes who are yet to be diagnosed

Diabetes UK: How many people in the UK have diabetes?

Why do the HbA1c (pre-diabetes) test?

If you are worried that your lifestyle may be putting you at risk of developing type 2 diabetes, then it’s recommended you take this test. It is also suitable for those with type 2 diabetes who want to monitor their condition.

How to test for diabetes at home

Our HbA1c test is a finger-prick test that can help you test for diabetes at home. The test kit contains everything you need to collect your blood sample at home, including free return postage to send the sample to our labs for analysis. You’ll get a detailed report and comments from our medical team, helping you to understand the results and your health.

What is a normal hba1c level in the UK?

The ‘normal’ HbA1c level will vary depending on your age, but there are some guidelines on what a good level is depending on what stage of diabetes you’re in;

Non-diabetic: 20-42mmol/L
Prediabetes: 42-48mmol/L
Diabetes: over 48mmol/L

Frequently asked questions

This is what our customers ask us most about this test. For more information, try our help centre.

What is prediabetes?

Prediabetes is the stage before type 2 diabetes is diagnosed. During pre-diabetes, your blood glucose levels are increased above normal but are not high enough for a type 2 diabetes diagnosis. Therefore, it is the critical period before diabetes is diagnosed and, if spotted, may be improved with simple changes to your lifestyle.

Prediabetes is often used to describe two conditions. Impaired fasting glucose (IFT), when your blood glucose levels are increased after a period of fasting, or impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) where your blood sugar levels are increased beyond normal after eating.

It is not an uncommon condition either, up to 7 million people in the UK are believed to be prediabetic.

Read more in our article ‘Is Prediabetes Reversible?‘
What is the test for diabetes type 2?

An HbA1c blood test is the gold standard for diagnosing diabetes type 2. It gives an average measure of your blood glucose levels over the last 2-3 months.
Is the amount of people with diabetes growing?

In the UK, 4.7 million people have diabetes and this is expected to rise to 5.5 million within the next decade. 90% of people who have had a diagnosis have type 2 diabetes whereas type 1 accounts for around 8%.

Yet the actual figure could be higher because there is an estimated one million people living with type 2 diabetes in the UK who haven’t been diagnosed. The prevalence of type 2 diabetes is a problem, not least because it costs the NHS a staggering £173 million per week.

The increase in obesity is largely to blame for the rise in type 2 diabetes cases. In fact, it is the biggest risk factor for the development of the condition. Yet, by taking control of your own health and understand what’s really going on inside you, you can take positive action to lower your risk by making changes to your lifestyle.

What is an HbA1c blood test for?

An HbA1c test is used to test for prediabetes or type 2 diabetes in adults. Unlike other tests, it gives you an average blood glucose reading over a period of up to three months rather than at the time of testing. It is often considered the gold standard in diabetes testing.
What is a healthy HbA1c level?

For people who do not have type 2 diabetes, a normal HbA1c level is between 20-42mmol/mol.
What can cause a high HbA1c level?

Several factors can contribute to an increase in HbA1c levels such as obesity or being overweight, lack of exercise, an unhealthy diet, diabetes, stress and even some medications.
What can I do to reduce my HbA1c level?

There are several things you can do to help lower your HbA1c level such as eat a healthier diet consisting of low glycaemic index foods, exercise regularly, reduce stress and lose weight are just a few.

Use our at home HbA1c blood test to monitor and check your HbA1c levels.

We are dedicated to supporting you on improving your health

Recommended by doctors

Dr Thom Phillips

Clinical Lead

BSc. (Hons) MSc. MB BCh. MRCGP. Dip SEM. PGCert (Diabetes)

Renee McGregor

Nutrition Lead

BSc (hons) PGDIP (DIET) PGCERT(sportsnutr) RD BASES

Dr Michael Cornes

Scientific Officer

Consultant clinical scientist, FRCPath, BSc Biochemistry, MSc Clinical Biochemistry, PhD Biochemistry

"An HbA1c blood test assesses long-term blood sugar control in diabetes. It measures the percentage of haemoglobin with attached glucose over about three months. The result indicates average blood sugar levels during that time, helping doctors identify, monitor and manage diabetes."

Dr Thom Phillips

We’re changing people’s lives

Easy to administer and speedy response with clear indications of the results.

Martin

12th April 2023

Great process. Rapid results (samples posted on a Tuesday, results online by the Friday evening). Sensibly priced. Results laid out in the app with the ability to see trends of test results.

Jeremy

23rd September 2023

I wanted to get more information about my own health instead of using the NHS who just test for a specific reason. I also wanted better historical data to view changes over time as the NHS systems aren’t very good for that.

James W

Finding out what is going on inside your body is key, especially now that the NHS is in crisis. If we can take control of our wellness (and flag up potential problems early) that has got to be a good thing.

Vannesa C

I am very satisfied with your excellent service and I have recommended you to all my friends who are also very interested in your products.

Doris R

How it works

Getting the insights you need to improve your health has never been easier.

1. Choose your blood test

No need to wait for a GP appointment, choose from our wide range of tests which come with everything you need to take your sample and return to our lab.

2. Collect your sample

Take your finger prick blood sample at home, or choose to have your blood taken at a Superdrug health clinic or a nurse at home. Return to our NHS lab using our prepaid envelope.