Just a few minutes of intense exercise daily can reduce disease risk. Yes, really.

Is it better to exercise harder or longer? The former may reduce your risk of multiple diseases, according to a recent study.

In the study, published late March in the European Heart Journal, researchers found people who get just a few minutes of vigorous activity daily are less likely to develop eight major diseases, including arthritis, heart disease, dementia, atrial fibrillation, type 2 diabetes, respiratory diseases, as well as liver and kidney disease.

For the study, researchers analyzed data of more than 96,000 people, comparing their overall activity levels, amount of vigorous activity and disease risk.

Those who did the most vigorous activity had a 63% lower risk of developing dementia, a 60% lower risk of type 2 diabetes and 46% lower risk of all-cause mortality, compared to those who did none at all, according to the findings.

Even 15 to 20 minutes per week of this type of effort, which is just a few minutes a day, was linked to meaningful health benefits, the authoers added.

The authors say short bursts of intense activity include things like running for the bus, taking the stairs quickly, walking fast between errands or playing actively with children.

In a news release, Minxue Shen, one of the researchers and professor at the Xiangya School of Public Health at Central South University in China, said vigorous activity seems to trigger specific responses in the body that lower-intensity activity can't replicate.

"During vigorous physical activity – the kind that makes you feel out of breath – your body responds in powerful ways. Your heart pumps more efficiently, your blood vessels become more flexible, and your body improves its ability to use oxygen."

Vigorous activity also appears to reduce inflammation, Shen added.

"This may help explain why we saw strong associations with inflammatory conditions such as psoriasis and arthritis. It may also stimulate chemicals in the brain that help keep brain cells healthy, which could help explain the lower risk of dementia," the researcher added.

There are some limitations for this type of exercise, since it may not be safe for everyone like older adults.

"For them, any increase in movement is still beneficial, and activity should be tailored to the individual," Shen said.