What should blood sugar numbers be for a diabetic?

Ideal blood sugar levels should be 70 to 130 mg/dl before meals and below 180 mg/dl two hours after a meal, according to the American Diabetes Association. The glycated hemoglobin, or A1C, level should be less than 7 percent. These numbers represent tight blood sugar control and approximate nondiabetic levels.

Symptoms of high blood sugar include increased thirst, frequent urination, weight loss, blurry vision and hunger, notes MedlinePlus.

Diabetes is an endocrine disorder marked by persistently high blood glucose levels due to too little insulin or resistance to insulin, explains WebMD. In Type 1 diabetes, the body is unable to make insulin. In Type 2, the body can no longer respond properly to the insulin it makes.