Rather than slaving away for hours in the gym, people should focus their attention on quick "sprints" on an exercise bike, with each workout lasting just a few minutes, or at least according to James Timmons, professor of exercise biology at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, who published a study on the effects of quick exercise. He said people could reduce their risk of diabetes and heart disease substantially with short, intense workouts - such "time efficient" exercising appealing to busy workers.

Most people know that regular physical activity is a good way to cut the risk of developing heart disease and Type 2 diabetes, but knowing it and doing it are not the same, and many people feel they just don't have the time to do vigorous aerobic exercise for several hours week, as suggested by many of the current guidelines.

In this study, subjects used exercise bikes to perform six sessions of intervals over two weeks. Each session consisted of between four and six 30-second sprints, plus a few minutes of rest in between. After two weeks of training, their body's ability to control blood sugar levels improved by 23 percent, says James Timmons.

Type 2 diabetes affects an estimated 246 million adults worldwide and accounts for 6 percent of all global deaths, is a condition in which the body gradually loses the ability to use insulin properly to convert food to energy. Very strict diet and vigorous, regular and sustained exercise can reverse type 2 diabetes, but this can be difficult for many people.