According To A Study, Walking 2 Minutes After Eating Lowers The Risk Of Diabetes

JAKARTA - Seven studies conducted by researchers at the University of Limerick in Ireland show that a two-minute walk after a meal can help lower blood sugar and reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

In five of the seven studies, respondents had no history of prediabetes or type 2 diabetes. Two other studies looked at people with and without diabetes.

Quoted Antara from Healthline, Sunday, the results of the review suggest the best time to walk is 60 minutes to 90 minutes after eating. At this time blood sugar levels usually peak.

The researchers said even just a few minutes of slow, light-intensity walking was enough to make a drop in blood sugar levels for study participants.

Significantly, walking after eating was associated with more gradual increases and decreases in blood sugar levels than sitting or even standing.

Commenting on the study, exercise psychologist Dr. Haley Needs explains that walking and standing can positively affect glucose metabolism.

“Glucose is released into the bloodstream after eating and results in small spikes in blood sugar levels. While small sugar spikes are not abnormal, keeping sugar levels under control is critical in managing diabetes," Needs told Healthline.

The muscles will be active when a person walks and the muscles will absorb the excess glucose found in the bloodstream. Better blood flow is essential for muscles, limbs, and organs resulting in a healthier vascular system, explains Needs.

He adds that a walk after dinner can also release serotonin, which helps you sleep better, eat more regularly, promote positive thinking, and improve memory.

Meanwhile, certified athletic trainer Amber Kivett has concerns about the limitations of the study, which could cause problems for certain people, such as obese people who suffer from pain when walking.

Despite the study's limitations, Kivett says that walking after a meal has many other benefits to be aware of.

Other benefits, according to Kivett, include balancing the absorption function of the intestines, optimizing the lymphatic system, releasing "happy hormones", to reducing inflammation by lowering stress hormones.

"Whether you have high blood pressure, diabetes, or you're a 'healthy' or athletic individual, enjoying a short, light-intensity walk after a meal will improve overall health," he says.