Diabetics: Get moving after dinner

I’m always encouraging you to take a walk after dinner. And now a new study backs up this advice.

Researchers at the University of Missouri found that people with Type 2 diabetes get more health benefits by exercising after a meal.

These researchers studied a group of obese individuals with Type 2 diabetes. On one occasion, participants exercised before eating dinner. During another visit, people exercised 45 minutes after eating dinner.

Participants experienced benefits from exercise no matter when they did it. But the researchers found that when participants exercised before dinner, only their blood sugar levels went down. (Still, nothing to sneeze at.) But when they exercised after dinner, not only did participants reduce their blood sugar levels, but also their fat levels.

Granted, the participants in this study performed resistance exercises like leg curls, seated calf raises, and abdominal crunches. But if you’re new to exercise, that after-dinner walk is still a great place to start.

Especially now that the weather’s finally warming up, you should make it a priority to take a sunset stroll every evening. If you can add some resistance exercises, even better. But start just by stepping out.

Source:

“Post-dinner resistance exercise improves postprandial risk factors more effectively than pre-dinner resistance exercise in patients with type 2 diabetes.” Journal of Applied Physiology 2015: 118(5): 624-634.


CLOSE
CLOSE