Diabetes is a chronic disorder that can only be managed, not cured. Successful management of this disease requires monitoring blood glucose levels at regular intervals. Hence the need for a non-invasive technique is of utmost importance in today's world. Recent studies show that acetone gas in exhaled breath has a high correlation with the glucose levels in breath. Therefore, by analysing the breath samples and calculating the levels of acetone present in them it is possible to monitor diabetes. This paper reviews various approaches used to detect the presence of acetone in breath samples. Also the different sensors technologies used in calculating the acetone in breath are also reviewed in this paper. © 2017 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd.