Sigma Nutrition Radio #598: How Do Exercise & Diet Interact to Improve Glycaemic Control? – Jenna Gillen, PhD
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Mar 17, 2026 Dr. Jenna Gillen, an exercise physiologist studying how movement and nutrition shape glucose metabolism. She discusses why brief post-meal activity blunts glucose spikes. She outlines low-volume interval training and tiny “exercise snacks” as time-efficient strategies. She explains who benefits most and how meal timing, carbs, and energy balance change outcomes.
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When Postprandial Control Actually Matters
- Post-meal glucose rises are normal in healthy people and not necessarily harmful.
- Targeting postprandial reductions matters most for those with insulin resistance, prediabetes, or type 2 diabetes.
Focus Walks On High Carb Meals
- Prioritize post-meal walking after high-carbohydrate meals, not after low-carb meals.
- If the meal doesn't raise glucose much (low carb), post-meal walking has limited additional benefit.
Time Efficient Interval Training Works
- Low-volume high-intensity interval training (HIIT) can deliver similar cardiorespiratory and metabolic adaptations in much less time.
- Protocols vary; common format is ~1 minute hard/1 minute rest repeated, totaling short weekly time.