An international expert committee has recommended a new way of diagnosing whether someone has diabetes. Currently, most people are diagnosed via fasting glucose tests or oral glucose tolerance tests. But these tests offer only a snapshot of glucose levels on a particular day, a number that can by swayed by exercise, illness, or even the temperature of the room in which the blood sample is housed. That’s why the panel is recommending a switch to the A1C test for diagnosing diabetes. The A1C test, which people with diabetes should have every three to six months, reports an estimated average blood glucose level during the preceding two to three months. This is thought to be more accurate than the other tests and doesn’t require fasting or a long doctor’s visit. According to the committee, made up of representatives of the American Diabetes Association, the International Diabetes Federation, and the European Association for the Study of Diabetes, an A1C of 6.5 percent or greater—a cutoff determined by the point at which the risk of diabetic retinopathy starts to rise dramatically—indicates diabetes. The ADA has not yet made an official statement on using A1C as a diagnostic tool.