For centuries, folks knew that taking a stroll after dinner was a good way to improve their health and aid digestion. A little postprandial exercise—meaning a leisurely fifteen-minute walk after lunch or dinner—isn’t just an old-fashioned tradition. It turns out that there’s solid scientific basis for taking a walk after eating.
A study co-authored by Loretta DiPietro, a professor of exercise science at George Washington University, discovered that older adults who walked on a treadmill for fifteen minutes after a meal experienced less dramatic spikes in blood sugar. For a person who is at risk for type-2 diabetes, managing blood sugar spikes is essential.
What’s even more amazing is that taking a walk after eating was three times as beneficial as a longer walk earlier in the day. Study participants who walked for 45 minutes during the morning did not show as much improvement to blood sugar levels as those who walked right after dinner.
When you eat, your body converts food into a sugar called glucose. Although it’s one of our main energy sources, too much glucose is a bad thing. Insulin helps draw glucose from your blood into your cells, where it can be used for fuel. When your pancreas can no longer keep up, all that glucose remains in your bloodstream.
Insulin production naturally tapers off during the day, yet we tend to eat our largest meals in the evening. Often, we sit around afterward—hanging out on the couch watching TV or playing on our phones. That results in a perfect storm of elevated glucose levels. Taking a walk after eating, however, forces your body to use up more energy. The glucose that would have been left in your bloodstream is instead used for fuel like it’s meant to do.
In addition to decreasing blood sugar spikes, taking a walk after eating can also boost your digestion. Exercise helps food move through your digestive tract more quickly. Researchers have found that postprandial exercise helps you feel more satiated—meaning you’re less likely to reach for a snack. There’s also promising evidence that heartburn and acid reflux can be improved by walking after a meal.
While you certainly don’t want to do serious cardio exercise or heavy weight lifting right after a meal, gentle exercise for about 15 minutes is ideal. That might mean taking a walk—for added wellness benefits, stroll with family or friends—or performing stretches in your living room. You’ll want to get moving within 30-60 minutes of eating, since that’s the peak window for glucose to build up in your bloodstream after eating a large meal.
