Summary
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A meta-analysis, published in February 2022, found that walking for 2-5 minutes after eating can help lower blood sugar levels.
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This is because walking helps to clear glucose from the bloodstream.
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Standing after a meal can also help, but not as much as walking.
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The ideal time to go for a walk after eating is within 60-90 minutes.
Additional Details
The meta-analysis analyzed seven studies comparing the impact of sitting, standing and walking on the body’s insulin and blood sugar levels.
People in the studies were asked either to stand or walk for two to five minutes every 20 to 30 minutes over the course of a full day.
“Between the seven reviewed studies, the total activity time throughout the observation was roughly 28 minutes with the standing and light walking breaks lasting between 2 to 5 minutes,” Buffey said.
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Standing was better than heading straight for the desk or the couch to sit when it came to blood sugar levels, but it didn’t help lower insulin in the bloodstream, the analysis found.
However, if people went for a short walk after eating, their blood sugar levels rose and fell more gradually, and their insulin levels were more stable than either standing or sitting, the study noted.