Seven million Brits may be at risk of pre-diabetes, according to a leading charity, and might need to change their diet or invest in fitness equipment to curb their declining health.

Diabetes UK has indicated that sufferers of pre-diabetes are 15 times more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes, although this can be reduced through small increases in physical activity, such as by purchasing an indoor rowing machine.

Sufferers, whose condition often goes undetected, should also concentrate on changing their diet, according to the charity.

Chief executive of the organisation Douglas Smallwood said that improving pre-diabetes education is "vital" to ensure people make the relevant lifestyle changes.

He said: "It's not too late for many to make healthy lifestyle changes, reverse the condition completely and reduce their risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

"It's time for all of us to get serious about our health if we want to have any chance of defusing the ticking timebomb of Type 2 diabetes."

Celebrated Olympic gold medallist rower Sir Steve Redgrave is among the high-profile sufferers of Type 2 diabetes, but managed to go onto win a fifth gold medal despite his diagnosis.