Even just a few minutes of walking following a meal can lower blood sugar and lower the risk of type 2 diabetes, a new study found.
According to a research team at the University of Limerick in Ireland, 15 minutes of walking following a meal was optimal to lower the risk of diabetes, but short walks of 2 to 5 minutes were also effective. The researchers analyzed seven studies that measured heart health indicators, including insulin and blood sugar levels, and compared the effects of sitting, standing, and walking.
The researchers found that light walking following a meal had a significant effect on controlling blood sugar levels. In the five studies, none of the participants had prediabetes or type 2 diabetes. The remaining two study participants included a mix of people with and without diabetes.
Participants were asked to stand up or walk for 2 to 5 minutes every 20 to 30 minutes throughout the day. All seven studies showed that just a few minutes of light walking following eating significantly improved blood sugar levels compared to sitting. As the participants walked, blood sugar levels rose and then gradually dropped.
Avoiding sharp fluctuations in blood sugar levels is important for patients managing diabetes. It is also known that rapid fluctuations in blood sugar levels lead to the development of type 2 diabetes. Standing up helped lower blood sugar levels, but light walking wasn’t as effective. This is because light walking requires active muscle sympathy than standing and uses sugar when a lot of sugar circulates in the bloodstream.
Aidan Buffy, Ph.D. of the research team, said, “It is practical to take a short walk of two to three minutes while working. Yuan Ashley, a cardiologist at Stanford University in the United States, said, “Even the slightest movement is worthwhile and can lead to measurable changes.”
Diabetes mellitus is a type of metabolic disease in which insulin secretion is insufficient or normal function is not achieved. It is characterized by hyperglycemia in which the concentration of glucose in the blood rises, which causes several symptoms and signs and excreted glucose in the urine.
Diabetes is divided into type 1 and type 2. Type 1 diabetes, previously called ‘juvenile diabetes’, is a disease caused by the body’s inability to produce insulin. Type 2 diabetes mellitus, which is relatively deficient in insulin, is characterized by insulin resistance (insulin resistance, the inability of cells to effectively burn glucose due to a lack of insulin function that lowers blood sugar).
The study report, The Acute Effects of Interrupting Prolonged Sitting Time in Adults with Standing and Light-Intensity Walking on Biomarkers of Cardiometabolic Health in Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis, was published in Sports Medicine.
By Kwon Soon-il, staff reporter kstt77@kormedi.com
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