According to the British Journal of Sports Medicine, the study showed more than an hour of moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity per day was associated with a 74% lower risk of developing type-2 diabetes when compared with participants who did less than five minutes of daily physical activity. This was even when other factors including genetic risk were accounted for.

Another compelling finding was that participants with a high genetic risk but who were in the most physically active category, actually had a lower risk of developing diabetes when compared with those with a low genetic risk but who were in the least active category.

“We are unable to control our genetic risk and family history, but this finding provides promising and positive news that through an active lifestyle, one can ‘fight off’ much of the excessive risk for type-2 diabetes,” said Senior author Prof. Melody Ding.

Moderate-intensity physical activity describes movements that get you sweating and slightly out of breath, such as brisk walking and general gardening.

Examples of vigorous- intensity physical activity include running, aerobic dancing, cycling uphill or at a fast pace and heavy gardening such as digging – all of which make you out of breath or cause you to breathe heavily.

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