Uh, Should We All Be Going On “Fart Walks”?

Photo credit: Franz Gruenewald / Connect Archives

Written by Megan Falk: Experienced health and wellness journalist and editor. Megan is a graduate of Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Magazine Journalism and a minor in Food Studies. She’s also a certified personal trainer through the American Council on Exercise.
Reviewed by Jennie O’Grady: Senior SciComms Specialist at Seed Health

Welcome to Cultured Check, where we put wellness hacks under a microscope to help you decide if they’re worth your time. The internet has a way of stripping health topics of critical nuance. At Cultured, it’s our job to add it back. Join our team of science communicators as we dig up the citations you won’t see on social media, provide context where it’s lacking, and clearly share our findings so you can walk away knowing the whole truth behind the trends.

News flash: Most people pass gas 13 to 21 times a day, either through the anus (aka flatulence) or the mouth (aka burping).¹

Yet, accidentally breaking wind in front of a new significant other or co-worker can lead to such a strong sense of embarrassment that you might feel tempted to ghost your partner or switch jobs entirely.

Well, it seems the era of concealing this totally innate bodily function is (finally) over, as “fart walks”—strolls dedicated to letting it all air out after a meal—become a social media trend.

The Claim: “Fart Walks Boost Gut Health and Reduce the Chances of Developing Type 2 Diabetes”

According to Mairlyn Smith, a content creator and professional home economist who coined the term “fart walk” earlier this year, taking a walk for as little as two minutes after a meal gives you a chance to not only freely break wind and kickstart digestion, but manage blood sugars.

Ultimately, she claims, it will help “reduce our chances of developing type 2 diabetes.” In her Instagram post on the practice, Smith says a fart walk can “help you age wonderfully,” given the increased risk of developing the disease once you reach middle age.²

Since March, Smith’s post has racked up more than 467,000 likes, and TikTok is now flooded with videos of users going on fart walks with their friends and family, often synced with impeccably timed fart sound effects (gotta love the internet).

The Context: Gentle Movement Is a Research-Backed Tool for Digestion

Turns out, the benefits of “fart walks” aren’t just Instagram lore. Walking at any time is beneficial for mental and physical well-being, and studies show that doing it right after a meal may help relieve gas, bloating, and hyperglycemia (high blood sugar). Here’s all the evidence in favor of a fart walk³:

It can help ease post-meal bloating and gas. 

In a small 2021 study, those who walked for 10 to 15 minutes after each meal experienced significant improvements in common post-feeding sensations like belching, gas, bloating, and abdominal discomfort or pain.⁴ What’s more, this method provided just as much symptom relief as taking prokinetic medications (which help contents move through your gastrointestinal tract). 

So how does it work? Movement can cause your abdominal muscles to contract, moving food through your digestive system.⁴ Exercise may also enhance intestinal “gas clearance,” encouraging the release of trapped gas.⁵

It supports the digestive process. 

Taking a stroll around the block after eating may help stimulate parts of the digestion process, which could help prevent constipation and minimize bloating. One small 2008 study found that walking after a meal picked up the pace of gastric emptying, or how long it takes for the contents of your stomach to move into the duodenum, the first part of the small intestine.⁶

It steadies out blood sugar spikes. 

Smith’s statements about walking’s impact on blood sugar regulation largely stand up to the PubMed test as well. A 2022 systematic review found that when people went for a light-intensity walk after eating, their blood sugar levels rose and fell more gradually than if they continued sitting or simply stood up.⁷ Another small study on healthy adults found that taking a half-hour brisk walk 15 minutes after eating was linked with lower blood sugar levels overall.⁸ 

The exact mechanisms aren’t fully confirmed, but this may occur because walking causes your muscles to contract—a process that uses the readily available glucose in your bloodstream (derived from the carbs in your meal) for quick energy. 

Your gut microbes may also influence blood glucose levels by acting directly on the liver. Groundbreaking 2020 research on mice found that gut microbes likely produce at least one molecule that controls how the liver directs glucose into the blood.⁹ Researchers are still investigating the specific bacteria involved, but their findings could eventually pave the way for hyperglycemia treatments that pull in the gut microbiome.

This response to a post-meal walk can be particularly beneficial for folks who have diabetes or insulin resistance, as demonstrated in a small 2016 study.¹⁰ The research found that light walking for 10 minutes after each meal was more effective at managing blood sugar than walking for 30 minutes at any one time throughout the day. There isn’t research examining a post-meal walk’s impact on type 2 diabetes risk specifically, but, in general, regular exercise can prevent or delay its development (as well as support gut health and function).¹¹ 

It supports heart health. 

Beyond these digestion benefits, walking after a meal can pay off for heart health. Walking has been shown to lower blood pressure (even after just a 10-minute jaunt) and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease in multiple studies.^12,13,14 Short, 90-second bursts of brisk walking throughout the day have also been linked with lower triglyceride levels after eating (combating heart disease and stroke risk) in inactive older women.^15,16 

The Cultured Check: (Fart) Walk On

It’s never a good idea to hop on the latest social media health trend without critically assessing its existing research. That said, after digging into the science, it’s safe to say that taking a fart walk is one practice that has been shown to speed up digestion, help relieve uncomfortable GI symptoms, and regulate blood sugar.

To reap the most benefits, aim to get your walk in about 30 to 45 minutes after you clean your plate. In a 2018 study, participants who cycled at a low intensity for 10 minutes starting when blood glucose levels peaked (about 45 minutes post-meal) experienced greater declines in blood glucose than people who did the same workout just 15 minutes after eating.¹⁷ Shoot for a 10- to 15-minute walk, which was studied in much of the research referenced here.

And remember: Racking up steps isn’t the only way you can nab the benefits of a fart walk. 

If walking isn’t in the cards for you—because of your abilities, outdoor access, or some other barrier—you have options. Instead, try light cycling, flowing through a yoga practice, or moving on the elliptical, which may give you similar symptom relief and blood sugar effects. (Just keep your movement at a light intensity to avoid upsetting your stomach.)

And for the record: It’s totally okay if you don’t pass gas on your fart walk. Breaking wind is just an external sign of the many processes happening behind the scenes: muscle contraction, nutrient shuttling, and microbial intervention. 

The Key Insight

Going on a “fart walk” after a meal can relieve uncomfortable gas and bloating in the short term, and it could have long-term benefits too, including reduced blood pressure and risk of cardiovascular disease. 

Of course, everybody is different, and how you react to movement after eating may change from day to day. If doing laps around the park after you devour a three-course meal actually makes you feel worse than lounging on the couch, don’t force yourself to take a stroll. You know your body best—listen to it.