#598: How Do Exercise & Diet Interact to Improve Glycaemic Control? – Jenna Gillen, PhD
From Sigma Nutrition Radio by Danny Lennon
March 17, 2026 · 44 min
About this episode
This episode explores the interaction between exercise and nutrition in improving glycaemic control, particularly after meals.
This episode examines how exercise and nutrition interact to influence glycaemic control, with particular focus on the postprandial period (i.e., the hours after eating) and on "time-efficient" exercise strategies such as low-volume interval training. Dr. Jenna Gillen outlines the physiological basis for why muscle contraction can acutely reduce post-meal glucose excursions, why repeated sessions can accumulate into longer-term improvements in insulin sensitivity, and why the nutrition context (pre- and post-exercise feeding, carbohydrate availability, and energy balance) can meaningfully alter observed outcomes. A key translational thread is that many clinically relevant improvements may come from small, feasible doses of activity; especially post-meal walking and brief "exercise snacks" used to interrupt sedentary time. However, the discussion considers who these interventions matter for most (and least). Postprandial glucose rises are normal in healthy individuals, whereas reducing exaggerated excursions is most relevant for those with insulin resistance, prediabetes, or type 2 diabetes (T2D). Dr. Jenna Gillen is an Assistant Professor of Exercise Physiology in the Faculty of…
People in this episode
Host: Danny Lennon
Guest: Jenna Gillen
Topics covered
- glycaemic control
- exercise and nutrition
- postprandial period
- insulin sensitivity
- low-volume interval training
- exercise snacks
Keywords
- glycaemic control
- exercise
- nutrition
- insulin sensitivity
- postprandial
- interval training
- exercise snacks
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: University of Toronto
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