Sedentary older people at risk of developing type 2 diabetes might benefit from a regimen of short moderate-intensity walks after meals, research suggests.

A study of 10 individuals aged around 70 with higher than normal fasting blood glucose levels found 15 minutes on a treadmill at an easy-to-moderate pace after each meal was as effective as one daily 45-minute walk at regulating postprandial glycaemia.

Importantly, walking after the evening meal blunted the usual spike in blood sugar, which can persist overnight.

The intervention was practical, the researchers said, as it could be combined with daily errands or walking the dog.

Diabetes Care 2013; online 12 June

Source: Medical Observer