A pioneering study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association suggests that people can achieve substantial health benefits by concentrating their physical activity into one or two days per week, challenging traditional exercise recommendations.
Researchers analyzed data from more than 93,000 participants in a U.K. biomedical database, tracking their physical activity through wrist accelerometers. The study categorized participants into three groups: active weekend warriors, active regular exercisers, and inactive individuals.
The findings revealed remarkable similarities in health outcomes between weekend warriors and those who spread their exercise throughout the week. Compared to inactive participants, both active groups experienced significant reductions in mortality risks. Weekend warriors showed a 32% lower risk of death from all causes, a 31% lower risk of cardiovascular disease mortality, and a 21% lower risk of cancer-related death.
Study corresponding author Zhi-Hao Li emphasized that meeting the recommended 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per week is crucial, regardless of how those minutes are distributed. The research provides encouraging evidence for individuals with demanding schedules who struggle to maintain consistent daily exercise routines.
While the World Health Organization and American Heart Association traditionally recommend spreading physical activity across the week, this study suggests that concentrated bursts of exercise can be equally beneficial. The research tracked activities ranging from walking and jogging to household chores and gardening.
Keith Diaz, an expert not involved in the study, noted that the total volume of physical activity matters more than its distribution. However, he cautioned that weekend warriors should be mindful of potential musculoskeletal injury risks and recommended proper warm-ups and gradual activity progression.
The study acknowledges limitations, including a predominantly white, U.K.-based participant pool, and calls for future research with more diverse populations to confirm these findings.
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