The study, based on a survey, has found that many over 40s begin to eat too much, put on weight and cut down on the amount of daily exercise they take -- in fact, many said they wish they could turn back the clock.
More than 40 per cent of over-40s questioned felt they had let themselves go, with more than one third saying that if they could go back in time they wouldn`t allow themselves to become overweight, the `Daily Mail` reported.
More than 100,000 people are diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes every year in the UK- around 275 new cases every day or one every five minutes.
Despite diabetes being one of the biggest threats to the health of the nation, 42 per cent of those questioned said they didn`t understand what Type 2 diabetes was and a quarter couldn`t even name one complication linked to the disease such as limb amputations, cardiovascular disease or blindness.
Alison Freemantle, diabetes expert at Lloydspharmacy, which commissioned the survey, said: "Our research shows that many over-40s feel they`ve let themselves go and have regrets about putting on weight over the years - but they are not necessarily making the link between being overweight and the risks of developing diabetes.
"Type 2 diabetes is an incredibly serious condition with nasty complications that can arise if it`s not diagnosed early enough. The good news is that for many people, it is possible to turn back the clock on their risk.