Brief Walks after Meals Cut Diabetes Type-2 Risk in Older Adults

A brief walk for about 15 minutes post-meals could help older adults prevent the onset of diabetes type-2, according to a new study. Researchers say that walking for 15 minutes after a meal, especially in the evening, gives similar benefits of a 45-minute long walk at other times.

The study was conducted by researchers at the George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services (SPHHS), who found that post-meal walks are effective in helping the body regulate sugar levels.

"These findings are good news for people in their 70s and 80s who may feel more capable of engaging in intermittent physical activity on a daily basis, especially if the short walks can be combined with running errands or walking the dog. The muscle contractions connected with short walks were immediately effective in blunting the potentially damaging elevations in post-meal blood sugar commonly observed in older people," said Loretta DiPietro, PhD, chair of the SPHHS Department of Exercise Science and lead author of the study.

Walking is both simple and effective. According to a recent study, walking is as good as running to improve and maintain heart health.

The present study was based on a small sample of 10 people who were over 60 years of age. The study participants were healthy but had elevated levels of blood glucose that put them at a higher risk of developing diabetes.

The participants were randomly assigned exercise routines, which included either a 15-minute walk post meal or a 45-minute walk at a specified time of the day. All the participants were on the same kind of diet.

Researchers found that a brief walk after an evening meal was the most effective way to control blood sugar levels.

Many people tend to watch TV or take a nap after a heavy meal. However, this could lead to several health problems.

"That's the worst thing you can do," DiPietro said in a news release. "Let the food digest a bit and then get out and move."

The findings of the study need to be validated using a large group of people, DiPietro cautioned.

In the U.S., the number of people being diagnosed with diabetes has tripled, from 5.6 million in 1980 to 26.9 million in 2010. According to the CDC, by 2050, 1 in 3 U.S. adults will have diabetes. The condition is the leading cause of blindness, kidney failure and limb amputations not caused by an accident.