A lie-in at the weekend after a busy working week could reverse the risk of diabetes caused by a lack of sleep.

A new study from the University of Colarado has revealed that less than 5 hours sleep a night can increase the risk of developing diabetes by around 16 per cent compared to the increased risk caused by obesity.

But the good news is that two consecutive nights of extended sleep of around 10 hours can reverse that damage.

However Dr Anna Clarke - Health Promotion and Research Manager from Diabetes Ireland - says you can't beat healthy eating and regular physical activity if you want to keep diabetes away: