Discover great walking tips for office workers and the elderly

Elderly people and office workers often sit a lot. This causes many harmful effects on the body, and even sitting continuously for many hours can seriously disrupt blood sugar control.

However, the good news is that recent research has found that breaking up long periods of sitting with short bouts of exercise can significantly improve blood sugar control, says Dr. Mark Hyman, medical director of The UltraWellness Center. Dr. Hyman advises: Older adults who sit a lot or office workers should walk for 3 minutes or squat 10 times every 45 minutes. This will help people who sit a lot regulate blood sugar more effectively than walking 30 minutes a day, according to Survey .

Elderly people who often sit a lot or office workers should walk for 3 minutes or squat 10 times every 45 minutes.

Photo: AI

What does the science say about the 3-minute walk?

In a study published last April in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports , scientists from the University of Jyväskylä, the University of Southeastern Finland, and Zhejiang University, Hangzhou (China) wanted to find out whether squatting or walking is more effective in regulating blood sugar levels in people who sit a lot.

Participants were people who often sat a lot - about 8.5 hours/day, divided into 4 groups:

• Group 1: Walk 30 minutes a day.
• Group 2: Sitting continuously for 8.5 hours.
• Group 3: Walk at a moderate pace for 3 minutes every 45 minutes.
• Group 4: Squat 10 times every 45 minutes.

Walking at a moderate pace for 3 minutes every 45 minutes reduced the rate of blood sugar spikes by 21% compared with continuous sitting

Photo: AI

The results revealed something surprising: Both groups 3 and 4 had a 21% reduction in blood sugar spikes compared to continuous sitting.

Notably, both groups 3 and 4 had nearly twice the blood sugar-lowering effect as the group that walked for 30 minutes at a time, according to the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports.

Researchers concluded: People who sit a lot need to walk for about 3 minutes or do 10 squats every 45 minutes, can make a significant difference to blood sugar levels, helping to reduce the risk of diabetes and complications.

These superior benefits are related to increased muscle activity in the target muscle groups during frequent transitions from sitting to moving. The more intense the muscle activity, the greater the blood sugar-lowering effect.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/phat-hien-meo-di-bo-cuc-hay-cho-dan-van-phong-va-nguoi-lon-tuoi-185250528233308721.htm