Take a Stroll: Benefits of Walking after Eating

CLEVELAND - If you’re looking for ways to improve your digestion, you may want to consider going for a walk after you eat. 

“There are so many health benefits from walking after a meal. Some of them are not gastrointestinal, including improving your glucose control. But, from my standpoint, walking after a meal actually can improve your gastric emptying,” said Jessica Philpott, MD, PhD, gastroenterologist at Cleveland Clinic. “Studies have shown that walking immediately after a meal can shorten rapidly the amount of time that food sits in the stomach and that can really improve symptoms of feeling excessively full, reflux, abdominal pain, and others.”

Dr. Philpott said there’s not a one-size-fits-all when it comes to recommendations for walking after a meal. 

However, she said it can be helpful to walk within 15 to 30 minutes of eating. 

You don’t have to do it after every meal, either. 

What matters more is that you’re doing it at all. 

That said, Dr. Phillpott would suggest walking after heavier meals since that’s when digestion slows down. 

But what if you can’t go for a walk? 

“Studies have shown that even just making a change in position can impact stomach emptying. So, a person that can't walk around the block, if they at least get up to stand from sitting or they walk around their house, that may still impact their stomach emptying,” she said. 

Dr. Philpott said good digestion is extremely important for our overall health, so if you are experiencing any issues, be sure to let your physician know.