The Benefits of a 10 minute walk after a main meal

Just been out for a really delicious curry and it got me thinking.  Is it good to take a walk after having a meal? It appears it is not only good, but for people with health conditions such as diabetes it could be really beneficial.  But thinking it about it, good practices while we are healthy are good too as they can be preventative measures to stop conditions like diabetes developing.  Diabetes is a devastating disease and I think 10 minutes to take a walk after a meal is a simple and effective way to help stay healthy.

A 10-minute walk after a meal 'good for diabetes'

"Short stroll after meals better for blood sugar than walks at other times," says The Daily Telegraph.
The story is based on a study which aimed to see whether taking a 10-minute walk after a main meal resulted in lower blood glucose levels than a single 30-minute walk each day for people with type 2 diabetes.
The study, which involved 41 adults, found that taking shorter, more frequent walks immediately after meals reduced blood glucose by around 12% compared with a single 30-minute walk.
The greatest benefit was seen after the evening meal when carbohydrate consumption was high and participants tended to be less active.
The researchers did not explain why a post-meal walk was more effective at lowering glucose in the blood. However, they believe a short stroll after every meal could reduce the need for insulin injections which can help people better manage their weight.
Researchers say current physical activity guidelines should be changed to specifically include post-meal activity, especially after meals with lots of carbohydrate, such as bread, rice, potatoes and pasta.
There are 4 million people living with diabetes in the UK and 90% of those have type 2 diabetes, according to Diabetes UK. Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body doesn't produce enough insulin to function properly, or the body's cells don't react to insulin.
Due to the short duration of this study we can't be sure that the effect seen in this research would last and lead to an overall improvement in blood glucose levels and diabetes control.
However, the findings are interesting and if confirmed by further research, could mean this simple lifestyle change would benefit people with diabetes. 

The researchers did not explain why a post-meal walk was more effective at lowering glucose in the blood. However, they believe a short stroll after every meal could reduce the need for insulin injections which can help people with diabetes to better manage their weight.
The findings of this research are certainly interesting and if they are confirmed to be accurate by further research, it would mean this simple lifestyle change would benefit people with diabetes.

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