Tesco and Diabetes UK are promoting the charity’s free online Know Your Risk tool following the survey of 2,000 adults.

The research found 71% of respondents had not checked their risk of developing type 2 diabetes, while 42% said they had never thought about their risk.

Among people who had not checked, 27% said they did not believe they were at risk and 24% said they did not know how to check.

Almost half of respondents, 48%, were unaware they could check their risk online or had not heard of Diabetes UK’s Know Your Risk tool.

The survey also found 21% said they did not know enough about type 2 diabetes to identify the risk factors involved.

According to the information supplied by Tesco and Diabetes UK, factors including age, ethnicity, family history, weight and other health factors can affect a person’s risk.

Douglas Twenefour, Head of Clinical at Diabetes UK, said: “Around 6.9 million people in the UK are at increased risk of type 2 diabetes, but taking small steps can make a big difference.

“Diabetes UK's free, online Know Your Risk tool can help you understand your risk in just a few minutes, and offers advice on how to reduce it if needed. Through our partnership with Tesco, we're making it easier for people to access vital information and support in their local communities.”

The survey found 14% of people who had not checked their risk were worried about what the result might be.

Nine per cent were worried about being judged because of their weight, diet or health behaviours, while 8% said they felt embarrassed discussing their risk.

Four in five respondents said they would feel comfortable speaking to a pharmacist about their risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Tom Lye, Category Director for Health and Wellness at Tesco, said: “We know that taking steps to understand your health can sometimes feel daunting, which is why we want to make support as accessible as possible.

“Through our partnership with Diabetes UK, we’re encouraging people to use the free Know Your Risk tool to better understand their risk of type 2 diabetes. If customers have concerns or questions, our trained pharmacy colleagues are on hand in over 350 Tesco Pharmacies to offer advice and support.”

The online assessment takes a few minutes to complete and can direct people to further support where appropriate.

The Know Your Risk tool is available at https://riskscore.diabetes.org.uk/tesco