Share:
Is what food really dangerous before swimming?
For many people there is nothing better in summer temperatures than spending their free time in the outdoor pool or at the lake. Especially children love the cooling in the cold water. But parents often do not let them into the water. Because if you have eaten, swimming can be dangerous, they say. Is that true??
Do not go to the water right after dinner?
Children who often like swimming in the summer, rather than jumping into the pool or the lake, often hear from their parents: "Wait, you have just eaten something." Also in the bathing regulations of the German Life-Rescue Society (DLRG) states: "Never go into the water with a full or empty stomach." But the kids really do have to wait, if they have just had fries or ice cream?
Children who have just had fries or ice cream are often told to wait to swim because it is dangerous to go into the water with their stomachs full. What is the claim? (Image: BlueOrange Studio / fotolia.com) Little scientific research
Although a few decades ago, there were studies on the potential dangers of post-meal swimming, but in some cases only a dozen subjects were involved, so the conclusions might not be up to scientific standards. The American Red Cross, in a comprehensive scientific review, could not find a single case of drowning before swimming due to its meal.
Deteriorated blood flow
Why is it then warned against eating something before bathing? "It used to be said that swimming after eating can lead to stomach cramps. This is not correct. However, children should not go into the water on a full stomach, because a large part of the blood is then in the digestive tract, so that the blood circulation of the brain and the rest of the body deteriorates, "writes the Association of Pediatricians (BVKJ) in an older Message on his website "kinderaerzte-im-netz.de".
Stomach feels fuller
But not all experts see it that way. As reported by "Spiegel Online", Martin Halle, Senior Medical Director of the Center for Prevention and Sports Medicine of the Technical University of Munich said: "The body has enough blood to take care of everything." He said: "The only problem is that swimming after the Eating less fun. "Due to the water pressure, it feels like the stomach is even fuller than it already is. "Only when the food has slipped into the intestine, that's no problem."
Not necessarily harmful to health
Bernd Wolfarth, head of the Department of Sports Medicine at the Charité Berlin, commented in a similar fashion last year in a report by the dpa news agency. "There is no direct correlation between stomach cramps and swimming," says the expert. Anyone who goes into the water for a helping of chips must therefore "fear no medical consequences".
Wolfarth pointed out, however, that "the body is charged twice after a meal". He is busy digesting the food and at the same time has to stay afloat. "Then it can be natural that you feel tired and sluggish." But the unpleasant feeling is not necessarily harmful to health.
Ice cream is better than vegetables
The porridge usually takes between half an hour and an hour to pass the stomach. "How fast that works, but depends very much on the food," explained Halle. For example, it takes a little longer for fiber. "The higher your share in a food, the longer it takes stomach acid to decompose the food," said the physician.
Halle therefore gives the rather unusual advice: "Better no meat and no vegetables". Fruits or ice cream are better. "Fries also have little structure, but are greasy. That slows down digestion. "
When the stomach is empty, hypoglycaemia is imminent
Although more up-to-date information indicates that eating before swimming does not pose a real health hazard, the DLRG is sticking to the food warning in its bathing rules. Why?
"Medical and scientific, there is no justification," said Achim Wiese, spokesman for the DLRG, according to "Spiegel Online". "But we know that especially children often drink water while playing." Combined with a full stomach, this could cause them to feel sick and vomit. "Then maybe it can be dangerous," says Wiese. "But that's the only reason we left that in our rules.".
However, the spokesperson emphasized that children should never go into the water with their stomachs empty. "Otherwise a hypoglycaemia threatens." (Ad)