Squats vs walking: What should you do after lunch?

In a world obsessed with optimising health, even the simplest habits are being re-examined - and the post-lunch walk is no exception.

Tech entrepreneur and longevity enthusiast Bryan Johnson has ignited fresh debate by claiming that a few well-timed squats could be more effective than a traditional 30-minute stroll after meals.

But what do experts make of this claim? Let’s find out.

What exactly has Bryan Johnson claimed?

Johnson recently argued that performing just 10 squats every 45 minutes after a meal can outperform a single 30-minute walk when it comes to controlling blood sugar.

He suggested the difference could even be measurable - around 14 per cent more effective in certain contexts.

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His reasoning is based on how the body uses glucose. According to Johnson, the quadriceps and glute muscles act as major “glucose sponges”, rapidly absorbing sugar from the bloodstream when activated intensely.

The science behind the claim

Johnson’s argument draws on recent research examining how interrupting long periods of sitting affects blood sugar levels.

Studies have found that frequent, short bouts of activity, such as squats or brief walks every 45 minutes, can improve glycaemic control more than one continuous 30-minute walk.

Crucially, the benefit appears to come from two factors frequency of movement rather than a single session and intensity of muscle activation, especially in large lower-body muscles.

This suggests that the body responds not just to exercise itself, but to how often and how forcefully muscles are engaged throughout the day.

Here's what experts say

Dr Mohit Sharma, Senior Consultant, Internal Medicine, Amrita Hospital, Faridabad, says "Bryan Johnson's assertion that squats are 'better' than a 30-minute post-lunch walk is an oversimplification of a complex metabolic concept."

According to him, "new evidence does show that doing short bursts of activity, like bodyweight squats, in between long periods of sitting can greatly lower the rise in blood sugar after a meal."

The doctor explains this with an example. He says "a 2024 study of overweight adults showed that taking short activity breaks, like squats, throughout the day worked better than a single 30-minute walk when the rest of the day was sedentary."

But this doesn't mean that squats are always better. "There is a lot of evidence that walking after meals is good for you. Research indicates that a mere 10 to 15 minutes of light walking after a meal can diminish glucose excursions by 20 to 30%, especially in individuals exhibiting insulin resistance or prediabetes. Walking is safer, easier to do, and better for the environment," concludes Dr Sharma.

The bigger takeaway: Movement matters more than duration

Perhaps the most important insight from this debate is not whether squats are “better” than walking, but that prolonged sitting is the real problem.

Research increasingly shows that sitting for long stretches, even if you exercise once a day, can negatively affect metabolism.

Breaking that pattern with frequent movement, whether through squats, walking, or stretching, appears to be key.