Miniwalks

This study reinforces the notion that physical activity that is spread out over the course of the day can be just as beneficial as, if not better than, one extended bout of exercise. A new study takes the concept of shorter bouts of walking even further. Published late last month by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the study asked 70 healthy adults to sit for nine hours on three different days. On two of these days, participants were also asked to walk briskly for 30 minutes: on one day as a 30-minute bout before sitting for nine hours, and on the other day as 18 segments of one minute, 40 seconds each, breaking up the sitting into segments of 30 minutes. Participants were given a meal-replacement drink after one, four, and seven hours of sitting on each day, and researchers measured their postmeal blood glucose and insulin levels. As noted in an article at Diabetes.co.uk, both blood glucose and insulin levels were lowered by walking, compared with the day on which participants sat but did not walk. However, the shorter walking segments lowered blood glucose and insulin levels more than did the extended walking segment. It is not known whether this result occurred because participants expended more energy through the shorter segments, because the timing of exercise segments affected glucose metabolism, or because of some combination of these two effects. While these results may be encouraging to people who are intimidated by extended bouts of exercise, going for a ...
Source: Diabetes Self-Management - Category: Diabetes Authors: Source Type: blogs