Fact Check: Claims in a shared screenshot stating that HbA1c level between 7 to 8 is normal is fake and wrong

An old screenshot is surfacing on the internet that displays an interview of a lady together with a caption. The caption in the photo states, “Now the US doctors admit that HbA1C should be in between 7 to 8 and is normal, this means that if the sugar level is 250 then it is within normal. The Mean value of PP and Fasting is 250 then you are no more diabetic”. 

Our team carried out a fact-check on the information stated in the screenshot. Here’s a brief report of the analysis. 

The original interview of which a thumbnail is being displayed in the screenshot, dates back to Nov 2016’s Fiona Godlee’s interview in economic times. The claim put up in the screenshot’s caption was not stated anywhere in Fiona Godlee’s interview. 

In fact, what Fiona stated was that people suffering from diabetes should try to tackle their lifestyle issues rather than going straight to insulin. Nowhere did she mention any numbers as claimed in the shared screenshot. 

The term HbA1C refers to glycated hemoglobin. Higher the HbA1c level, greater is the risk of developing diabetes-related complications. 

In addition to that, according to American Diabetes Association, Diabetes is diagnosed at hemoglobin A1C range of greater than or equal to 6.5%. Thus, this states that the claim in the shared screenshot doesn’t hold true. According to other sources, the normal range for the hemoglobin A1c level stands between 4% and 5.6%. Haemoglobin A1c levels that stands between 5.7% and .4% infers a high chance of getting diabetes. Levels higher than or equal to 6.5% means a person have diabetes. All these information along with more such information from other sources justifies that the claimed statement in the screenshot is wrong.