Squats Every 45 Minutes Blood Sugar Vs Walking

For many people trying to manage blood sugar, the usual advice revolves around taking daily walks, eating a balanced diet and staying physically active. But, rather than relying on a single workout session, brief bursts of movement spread throughout the day could offer greater benefits, especially for people who spend long hours sitting.

DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to.

The study divided participants into four groups: one remained sedentary, another completed one 30-minute walk, a third group took three-minute walks every 45 minutes, while the fourth performed around 10 body-weight squats every 45 minutes. Summarising the findings, Dr Perlmutter explained, “The first is that doing these exercise snacks, either squats or short walks, is better for regulating blood sugar than doing one 30-minute walk in an eight-and-a-half-hour period.”

The study also found that blood sugar regulation was linked to activation of the gluteus maximus and quadriceps, suggesting these large muscle groups may play an important role in metabolic health. Emphasising the broader takeaway, the physician said, “Now, that may not always be feasible for everyone, but what I love about this study is that it looked at different forms of exercise snacks. Whether it’s doing a couple of squats each day or getting a short walk in every little bit, the bottom line is that your body seems to benefit, specifically from a metabolic perspective, from getting these exercise snacks in. And that may have implications for brain health because we know that metabolism and brain health are tightly linked.”

To understand more, we spoke with an expert.

Dr Palleti Siva Karthik Reddy, MBBS, MD General Medicine, FAIG, Consultant Physician at Elite Care Clinic, tells indianexpress.com, “Short bouts of movement performed every 30 to 60 minutes help prevent prolonged periods of sitting, which is itself associated with reduced glucose uptake by the muscles. When large muscle groups are activated regularly through activities such as squats, brisk walking, or stair climbing, they draw glucose from the bloodstream and use it as fuel, independent of insulin to some extent.”

A single 45-minute workout certainly offers metabolic benefits, Dr Reddy says, but if a person remains sedentary for the remaining 10 to 12 hours of the day, blood sugar levels may still fluctuate significantly. Frequent movement breaks act as repeated metabolic stimuli, helping maintain better glucose control throughout the day and improving insulin sensitivity over time.

Body-weight squats are effective because they engage large muscle groups in the legs, which have a substantial capacity to utilise glucose. Dr Reddy notes, “However, they may not be suitable for everyone, particularly older adults with balance issues, individuals with knee osteoarthritis, severe obesity, or those with existing joint limitations.”

In such cases, he says, chair sit-to-stands, slow marching in place, calf raises, stair climbing, or short bouts of walking can provide similar metabolic benefits with lower joint stress. “The objective is not the specific exercise itself but regular activation of major muscle groups at frequent intervals. Exercise recommendations should always be individualized according to age, fitness level, and existing medical conditions,” shares Dr Reddy.

Click on a situation below to discover a simple movement break you can fit into your workday:

Walk around the room or march in place for 2–3 minutes instead of sitting throughout the call.

Do chair squats, calf raises, stair climbing or a short brisk walk to activate large muscle groups and break up prolonged sitting.

Set a reminder to stand up and move for just 2–3 minutes. Regular movement is more important than exercising intensely once and remaining sedentary for the rest of the day.

People with diabetes may notice improvements in post-meal blood sugar within days to weeks. Better insulin sensitivity, higher energy levels and reduced fatigue typically become noticeable after several weeks of consistent movement breaks.