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VERIFY: Do you need to avoid swimming immediately after you eat?

Do we really need to follow this well known rule of thumb?
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2050

QUESTION:

Is it safe to avoid swimming right after you eat?

ANSWER:

No, experts say this commonly believed myth is not true.

SOURCES:

Centers for Disease and Control Prevention, Duke University Health System, Dr. Robert Ford: Primary Pediatrics, P.C.

PROCESS:

Thinking of hitting the pools to keep cool this summer? Well before you do, it's the old myth we've all heard: wait 30 minutes after eating before you go swimming. So do we really need to follow this well known rule of thumb?

Our Verify team gets you the facts on the rumors like this you see floating around.

To find out if there's any truth to this claim, our team went to experts at the Centers for Disease Control, Duke University Health System and a pediatrician.

First, the CDC. They advise several reasons to not swim and eating before hitting the pools isn't one of them. They also don't list eating as an influencing factor in drownings.

The research team then went to Duke University Health experts who posted online that the body does supply extra blood to aid in digestion, but not enough blood to keep your arm and leg muscles from properly functioning. Your biggest danger related to eating and swimming is probably a minor cramp. A pediatrician agreed.

"Knowing that most people are not going to try to have a five course meal in the middle of the day, so with the exception of overeating, it's absolutely fair to swim right after eating," said Dr. Robert Ford at Primary Pediatrics based in Warner Robins, Georgia.

No need to wait, we can verify this false claim is false. It's safe to swim right after eating.

Experts advise to eat a light meal, or a snack, followed by low to moderate activity is fine and your biggest danger related to eating and swimming is potentially a minor cramp.

Duke Health recommends before swimming, eat carbohydrates that will give you energy and foods with protein that will sustain that energy.

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