What Is Diabetes Mellitus?

Diabetes mellitus is a condition in which the level of glucose (the simplest type of sugar) in the blood is high. People with diabetes mellitus are usually very thirsty, so they drink a lot of fluids and as a consequence, they produce large amounts of urine.

Diabetes mellitus has been known for thousands of years, having been described by the Ancient Egyptians and the Romans. The word "mellitus" comes from the Latin word for "honeyed" - meaning "sweet" (figure 4.1). Diabetes mellitus, therefore, describes a condition that produces "sweet urine". This production of sweet urine occurs as a result of a high glucose level in the blood, which results in glucose leaking into the urine when the kidneys filter the blood to remove impurities.

• Describe a simple way to test urine for a sign of diabetes.
• Anyone can test their own urine by urinating into a clean container like a pot or a cup, and leaving the container outside. If ants climb into the container there is probably sugar in the urine.