If you’ve ever gone out to your favourite restaurant, delighting in numerous dishes that are not only mouth-watering but also a visual feast for the eyes, chances are you’ve left satiated, full, and in need of undoing the top button of your jeans. It’s the sign of a meal enjoyed, one that is often accompanied by a short stroll around the block or back to the car, all in an effort to ease digestion.
If you’re someone that frequently walks after a meal, you’ve likely heard of the conventional wisdom that suggests a walk after a meal helps clear your mind and aid digestion. Though scientists first prescribed 15 minutes of walking to help reduce blood sugar levels after a meal, it’s now been found that these benefits can be found with as little as two-minutes of walking.
In a meta-analysis recently published in the journal Sports Medicine, researchers examined the results of seven studies that compared the effects of sitting versus standing or walking on measures of heart health, including insulin and blood sugar levels. It was found that light walking after a meal, in increments of as little as two to five minutes, was significant in its ability to moderate blood sugar levels.
As preventative cardiologist at Houston Methodist Hospital, Dr Kershaw Patel, explains to the New York Times, “Each small thing you do will have benefits, even if it is a small step.”
Across the seven studies, it was found that just a few minutes of light-intensity walking after a meal were enough to significantly improve blood sugar levels compared to sitting at a desk. It’s a valuable reminder, particularly as the urge after eating for so many of us is to simply plop down on the couch, turn the television on, and get into some comfortable sweatpants. As it turns out, just a few minutes of light walking can help blood sugar levels rise and fall more gradually.
It was also noted by researchers that even just standing was able to help lower blood sugar levels, but not quite to the same extent that light walking managed to do. According to Aidan Buffey, a graduate student at the University of Limerick in Ireland and author of the paper, “Standing did have a small benefit,” but compared to sitting or standing, “light-intensity walking was a superior intervention.”
Much of this comes down to the fact that walking requires the engagement of muscles, which in turn requires the use of fuel from food. At a time where there is a lot of it then circulating in the bloodstream, muscles are able to soak up that excess glucose.
Ultimately, walking for 60 to 90 minutes after eating has the best results, allowing individuals to stave off blood sugar spikes. Of course, if you’re not inclined to suddenly go out to brace freezing temperatures or the elements after dinner, there are other alternatives. Consider getting up to do housework or finding other ways to move around your home – essentially, anything that gets the body moving.
