By Barry Rollings
Volume 49, No. 18 , October 05, 2006
Next time you take a “wee” walk, colour your thinking beforehand – careful observation could provide a good indicator to your health.
Why? Because the colour of your urine indicates your level of hydration or dehydration.
A Navy initiative has produced and distributed to all ship/all shore/all cadet units – A4 size synthetic paper Urine Colour Charts to be placed in toilets in the battle to prevent dehydration and heat injuries.
The chart shows eight colour gradations. The first four light colours indicate a normal spectrum with the second four – ranging from a darker yellow through to orange – warning of the possible onset of dehydration.
“If water in the body is balanced, the urine will be a pale ‘lager’ colour,” the poster advises.
“When water loss from the body exceeds water intake, the kidneys need to conserve water, making urine much more concentrated with waste products and subsequently darker in colour.”
The poster advises that vitamin supplements and some foods produce darker yellow urine but cautions people to seek medical advice if they habitually excrete dark urine.
Women are advised the urine in a toilet bowl will be diluted, so maintenance of a urine appearance within the first three colour indicators is recommended.
An expanded A3 poster containing advice on the physical indicators of dehydration and how to avoid heat injury, has been designed to be posted outside of Sickbays and Medical Centres.
Extra copies of the posters can be ordered from NAVSAFE. Email
navy.safety@defence.gov.au or call 1800 558 555.
