A recent study published in the journal Sports Medicine talks about the benefits of a short walk within 60-90 minutes of eating in moderating blood sugar levels and keeping complications such as type 2 diabetes at bay. While people usually go back to their sedentary jobs after eating or lie down to take a nap, a 10-minute short walk can boost metabolism and help burn more calories throughout the day, thus also helping in weight loss and minimising risk of issues like obesity and high cholesterol.
Researchers from the University of Limerick in Ireland looked at seven studies that compared the effects of sitting versus standing or walking on measures of heart health, including insulin and blood sugar levels. They found that light walking after a meal had a significant impact in moderating blood sugar levels.
In five of the studies, none of the participants had pre-diabetes or type 2 diabetes. The remaining two looked at a mix of people with and without such illnesses.
Participants were asked to either stand or walk for two to five minutes every 20 to 30 minutes over the course of a day.
All seven studies showed that just a few minutes of light-intensity walking after a meal were enough to significantly improve blood sugar levels compared to sitting down.
When participants did this, their blood sugar levels rose and fell more gradually.
Avoiding sharp fluctuations in blood sugar levels is critical for patients who are managing diabetes. Sharp fluctuations are also thought to contribute to the development of type 2 diabetes.
Even just standing up helped lower blood sugar levels, although not as much as light walking did.
This is because light walking requires more active engagement of muscles than standing and uses the sugar when there is a lot of it circulating in the bloodstream.
Aidan Buffey, lead author of the review, which was published in the journal Sports Medicine, said a mini walk of two to three minutes is more practical during the work day. People ‘aren’t going to get up and run on a treadmill or run around the office,’ he said, but they could get some coffee or even go for a stroll down the corridor.
Dr Euan Ashley, a cardiologist at Stanford University who was not associated with the study, said: ‘Moving even a little bit is worthwhile and can lead to measurable changes.’ For people who can’t find a few minutes for a walk, ‘standing will get you some of the way there’, he noted.
