The Chinese University, with the help of four NGOs, is offering free health checks to 20,000 middle-aged people, with the aim of preventing chronic disease such as diabetes and hypertension. Professor Samuel Wong, the director of the university's School of Public Health, says many of the middle-aged may work long hours and not be in the habit of getting regular checks.

Appearing on RTHK's Hong Kong Today programme, he was asked how many people in the late thirties to early forties age range - and who might consider themselves to be in reasonable shape - might nevertheless be undiagnosed.

"I believe there will be some undiagnosed chronic diseases in that age group, especially hypertension and diabetes," said Professor Wong.

"And so far we have screened 6,700 people and 2,300 were advised to undergo further health checks. All of them were identified as being of relatively high risk or high risk of developing chronic disease. And 92 percent of those who are in the relatively high risk group were eligible for health coaching under the project."

Professor Wong said the personalised health coaching is provided by trained professionals, who give regular coaching sessions over a six month period. He said the sessions involved motivational interviewing and cognitive behavioural techniques, so that the barriers that each individual faced might be addressed in a more person-centred way.

Professor Wong said the remaining 185 people – eight percent of the total – was in the very high risk group. He said they were sent a report and told to seek medical advice from their family doctor.