IN SPAIN EARLIER THIS YEAR, I JOINED other Mediterranean people in getting up after a long, relaxed meal to take a stroll. A new study suggests that I was helping myself more than I knew. Today, we explore this provocative statement: “Give me two minutes, and I’ll lower your blood sugar.”
Getting up and moving after a meal — even if you walk for only two minutes — may reduce your blood sugar level. That’s the remarkable conclusion of a 2022 study in Sports Medicine.
Today, we examine the new study results before examining other lifestyle maneuvers associated with lower blood sugar.
Of course, I must begin with a quote, this time from one of America’s most respected 20th-century poets:
“I was the world in which I walked, and what I saw
Or heard or felt came not but from myself;
And there I found myself more truly and more strange.”
― Wallace Stevens, The Collected Poems
What is Sedentary Behavior?
I begin with an observation you surely know: Sedentary behavior — including prolonged sitting — is likely to be habitual and linked with poor health outcomes.
Moreover, there is increasing evidence that:
Sedentary behavior is a health risk, regardless of the daily amount of moderate to vigorous physical activity.
So, what is sedentary behavior? Any waking behavior expends 1.5 metabolic equivalent tasks (METs) while lying, seated, or reclining represents sedentary behavior.
Sedentary Behavior is Bad, Independent of Exercise
Let me get more specific. Independent of exercise, total sedentary time is negatively associated with several biomarkers.
Let me repeat that with emphasis added: Independent of exercise, total sedentary time is negatively associated with several biomarkers.
I emphasize the statement, as many of us believe that because we go to the gym, jog, or bicycle, we are immune from the negative consequences of sedentary behavior.
Sedentary Behavior and Biomarkers — Details
Many studies examining the relationship between sedentary time and health biomarkers have relied on self-reporting.
Three studies from Europe and Australia have examined the association between sedentary time and health biomarkers using objective measures. Each investigation took advantage of accelerometers to measure sedentary time.
The bottom line? These studies, less prone to the biases and errors of self-reporting, showed that total sedentary time was detrimentally linked with triglycerides, waist circumference, two-hour glucose, and insulin levels.
These relationships remained after the researchers adjusted for moderate to vigorous physical activity.
Still, the studies have notable flaws. For example, each had a relatively small sample size. Moreover, one study focused only on high-risk individuals. Finally, all of the studies only evaluated white adults of European descent.
Finally, these research investigations ignored the daily contributions of light-intensity incidental activity and how individuals accumulated their sedentary time.
Two to Five Minutes Walking Improves Glucose
As I learned from my Spain travels, people in this sunny Mediterranean country walk after leisurely meals.
We walked regularly in the neighborhood after a fine meal. We saw numerous locals walking to the town square to visit with neighbors.
Walking appears integral to what we think of as a Mediterranean diet.
You already know about the über-healthy Mediterranean diet. But did you know this?
A short walk after eating can help blood sugar gradually rise and fall.
Let’s look at the systematic review in more detail.
Sedentary Behavior and Sugar and Insulin Levels
Researchers published a meta-analysis in 2022. They analyzed seven studies comparing the association of standing, sitting, and walking on the body’s insulin and blood sugar levels.
In these studies, scientists instructed the participants to sit, stand, or walk for two to five minutes (every 20 to 30 minutes over a day).
The total activity time throughout the observation was 28 minutes, with standing and light walking breaks lasting for two to five minutes.
Standing appeared to be better than sitting regarding blood sugar levels but didn’t lower insulin in the bloodstream. However,
If people took a short walk after eating, their blood sugar levels rose and fell more gradually. Moreover, their insulin levels were more stable than either standing or sitting.
If we can keep our blood sugars from spiking, we can lower our risk for heart disease and diabetes. Research shows blood sugar levels will spike within 60 to 90 minutes after eating, so we should get moving soon after finishing our meal.
How Does Movement Improve Glucose?
Our muscles need glucose to function. Move, and you help clear sugars from your bloodstream.
While a brief walk can improve my blood biomarkers, I ask my able patients to aim for 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity and two days of muscle-strengthening activity weekly.
Why? According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, those who are physically active for about 150 minutes a week have a one-third lower risk of early mortality than those who are physically inactive.
Most aim for 30 minutes of walking (or biking) five days per week. But just 21.43 minutes each day of the week would do the trick, too.
Just move. Moving will likely improve your physical and mental well-being. I walk after each meal and try to get up at least every 45 minutes.
Your thoughts?
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The information I provided in this blog is for educational purposes only and does not substitute for professional medical advice.
Please consult a medical professional or healthcare provider for medical advice, diagnoses, or treatment. I am not liable for risks or issues associated with using or acting upon the information in this blog.
Thank you for reading “Give Me Two Minutes, And I’ll Lower Your Blood Sugar.”
