It has always been known that a short walk after a meal helps digestion and clears the mind. Recently, scientists have found that a 15-minute walk after a meal lowers blood glucose levels, preventing the onset of diseases such as type 2 diabetes. A new study, however, proves that even a short two-to-five minute walk is enough to reap these benefits.

In a new analysis published in the journal Sports Medicine, researchers re-evaluated the results of seven studies that compared the effects of sitting, walking, or standing on various determinants of heart health, such as insulin levels and blood glucose levels. They concluded that a short walk after a meal, which can be gradually increased by two or five minutes, allows better control of blood glucose levels.

Participants in five of the studies reviewed had either prediabetes or type 2 diabetes. The remaining two studies involved both patients and perfectly healthy people. Volunteers were asked to get up and stand or take a two to five minute walk every 20 to 30 minutes throughout the day.

All studies showed that moderate-intensity walking for a few minutes after eating was enough to significantly improve blood glucose levels, compared to lying on the couch or sitting in front of a screen. When the volunteers took a short walk, their glucose levels fluctuated more smoothly. For diabetics, preventing these sudden fluctuations in glucose levels is important to control the disease. At the same time, experts believe that such fluctuations contribute to the emergence of type 2 diabetes in healthy people.

Standing also helped lower glucose levels, but to a lesser extent than walking. “Standing had little benefit,” explains Aidan Buffy, a PhD student at the University of Limerick and one of the study’s authors. Moderate-intensity walking is more beneficial than standing due to greater muscle activation and the use of “fuel”, that is, sugars that circulate in the blood and especially in high concentration. “Muscles absorb excess sugar,” explains biochemist Jesse Insospe, author of The Glucose Revolution: The Power of Balancing Blood Sugar. While taking a short walk at any time of the day is important for maintaining good health, walking an hour and a half after a meal is especially helpful in preventing fluctuations in glucose levels. At this time, sugar is usually at its highest level.

Even standing for a few minutes is more beneficial than sitting in a chair.

Soft ways to train

Insospe highlights that there are other forms of exercise that help regulate blood sugar levels. One of these is household chores. This little physical exercise also enhances the positive effects of dietary changes that are usually introduced to better control diabetes. “Even light exercise has value and can lead to measurable improvements in our health outcomes. This is exactly what research has shown,” says Dr. Evan Ashley, a cardiologist and professor of medicine and genetics at Stanford University.

However, Buffy, who specializes in workplace physical activity interventions, says short two- to three-minute walks are a more practical solution during the day. In the office, employees can take a walk down the hallway or grab a coffee, while those who work from home can take a stroll between conferences.

Anyone who is unable to do even this elementary exercise, just stand next to your desk for a few minutes. Even this is more profitable than sitting in a chair. He won’t have maximum profit, but the few he gets are important.

After all, the benefits of physical activity are never all or nothing. Rather, it is an ongoing but gradual process. Every extra step we manage to take, every small increase in walking time or even just standing, benefits our health.