In case you haven’t heard, going for a walk after a big meal now has an official, trendy name: the fart walk. But unlike some other social media fads, this one is actually worth embracing, since a fart walk really can support your digestive health, experts say. 

“While the term ‘fart walk’ raises some eyebrows, the concept is rooted in real digestive physiology,” says board-certified gastroenterologist Samantha Nazareth, MD. 

Below, the benefits of fart walks (there are more than you might think!), plus how to make the most out of this post-meal practice.

What Is a Fart Walk?

“Fart walks” are pretty much exactly what they sound like: a short walk you take after a meal to relieve gas and stimulate digestion. “It’s generally known as the practice of going on a walk within an hour of a meal to help you digest your food,” says Aerial Petty, DO, the resident physician member on the board of directors of the American Academy of Family Physicians.

The term was coined by a cookbook author named Mairlyn Smith on social media, and since then, proponents of the trend have been documenting their fart walks on platforms like TikTok, often noting how much better they feel when they can fit in one of these walks after eating. 

“[Fart walks] have been a recommendation forever, but [they’re] seeing an uptick in popularity thanks to social media,” Dr. Petty says. “While passing gas isn’t required to experience the benefits of this walk, the practice can decrease bloating and gas buildup and promote smoother digestion.”

Benefits of Taking Fart Walks 

Unsurprisingly, the research on “fart walks” specifically is lacking. But experts do know quite a bit about how a post-meal walk can affect digestion in general, as well as your overall health. Here are some of the advantages to expect if you make fart walks a regular habit.  

1. Fart Walks Can Help Kick-Start the Digestive Process

Moving your body after you’ve eaten supports digestion by stimulating a process called peristalsis: involuntary, wave-like movements that propel gas and food through your gastrointestinal (GI) tract. 

“This is why we often encourage post-operative patients to get out of bed and start walking as soon as it’s safe,” Dr. Nazareth says. “Gentle movement helps ‘wake up’ the bowels and kick-start digestion after anesthesia or periods of immobility.” The same principle applies to everyday digestion, she adds.

2. They Really Might Make It Easier to Pass Gas 

Gas develops when you swallow air or eat certain gas-producing foods (such as cabbage, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, and whole grains). Just as a post-meal walk can help food move through the digestive tract, it can also help your body process this gas. “Movement encourages trapped gas to pass more easily,” Dr. Nazareth says. 

Research illustrates this as well: In a small 2021 study in the journal Gastroenterology and Hepatology from Bed to Bench (GHFBB), scientists found that walking after a meal was associated with a range of improved GI symptoms, including belching and involuntary gas.

3. Fart Walks May Help You Feel Less Bloated 

Speaking of passing gas: Because you may be able to do so more easily during a walk, you may subsequently feel less bloated and uncomfortable. 

“[Walking] activates the abdominal wall and diaphragm, which can help ease abdominal pressure,” Dr. Nazareth explains. “It’s a gentle way to support overall digestion and can help prevent that sluggish, heavy feeling after eating.”

That same GHFBB study also found that exercise could ease feelings of fullness and abdominal discomfort after a meal.

4. They Support Your Overall Health

In the short-term, a fart walk is a great strategy to feel less bloated or gassy, but walking after eating can deliver plenty of additional benefits that have nothing to do with digestion. 

“It can help regulate blood sugar, particularly after a high-carb [meal], by improving insulin sensitivity,” Dr. Nazareth says. (A 2022 review in the journal Sports Medicine found that even very short walks of a few minutes were associated with improved blood sugar levels after eating.) 

There are even more reasons to make regular walks a habit for your long-term health. Research has found that walking can increase circulation and support a healthy heart, among plenty of other perks. “No matter when you go on a walk, you’ll experience the benefits of exercise like improving your cardiovascular fitness, strengthening your bones and muscles, increasing your energy levels, and promoting good sleep,” Dr. Petty says.

How to Get the Most Out of a Fart Walk

Any kind of movement after eating is beneficial, but there are ways to maximize the effectiveness of your next fart walk. Here’s how:

The Takeaway

It may sound like a silly fad, but fart walks are a legitimate practice—and may deliver some real benefits. After you’ve eaten a meal, fart walking can stimulate the muscles in your gastrointestinal tract to help move gas and food through your system, supporting digestion. Plus, there are plenty of non-digestive reasons to go for a walk after eating, too, including to help balance your blood sugar, increase circulation, and improve your mood. So walk—and fart—away.