Why a short walk after a meal is worth it

After a meal, the level of sugar in the blood rises for a while. Muscles that work use that sugar as fuel, which is why a little movement after eating has been studied as a simple everyday habit.

What the research looked at

In a study published in the journal Diabetologia in 2016, adults with type 2 diabetes walked for ten minutes after each main meal, and in another period for thirty minutes once a day. The same total amount of walking, split after meals, lowered the rise in blood sugar after eating more than one longer walk at another time, most clearly after the evening meal.

How to start

• Start with five to ten minutes at an easy pace, right after you get up from the table.
• The evening meal is a good first choice: it is often the biggest meal and is followed by sitting.
• Walking with someone makes the habit easier to keep.
• No time to go out? Walking around the house or up and down a corridor counts too.

How much activity in total

The World Health Organization recommends that adults do at least 150 to 300 minutes of moderate activity each week, and that older adults add activities for balance and strength. Short walks after meals add up towards that total.

Sources: Reynolds AN et al., Diabetologia 2016;59(12):2572-2578; WHO, «Physical activity» fact sheet (who.int). If you have a health condition or take medicines for blood sugar, ask your doctor before changing your routine. This article is general information, not medical advice.