Whether taken throughout the week or just on weekends, exercise is good for your health. — AFP
The benefits of exercise are well established, yet many of us complain that we don’t have time for physical activity during the week. Some of us try to “make up for it” on the weekend, when we’re not working. And that’s no bad thing, according to recent research from China.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends at least 30 minutes a day of moderate-intensity physical activity, five times a week, or 25 minutes a day of intense physical activity, three times a week.
However, it’s not always easy to find the time to exercise during the week, between work commitments, household chores and personal obligations. Some people therefore choose to get their exercise on the weekend, earning themselves the nickname “weekend warriors.”
But is this really an effective strategy? To answer this question, researchers in China examined data from the vast UK Biobank cohort.
Over an eight-year period, they tracked the sporting habits of more than 75,000 people, classifying them into three groups according to their level of physical activity.
These were “regularly active” individuals, doing more than 150 minutes of moderate-to-intense exercise throughout the week; “weekend warriors,” meeting the guidelines by doing more than 50% of their exercise on one to two days, often Saturdays and/or Sundays; and “inactive” individuals.
In their paper, published in the journal Nature Aging and reported on The Conversation website, the researchers claim that exercise has many benefits, even if you only do it at weekends.
Health benefits
In fact, the “weekend warriors” were far less likely than inactive individuals to develop certain non-communicable diseases. They were 26% less likely to suffer from dementia, 21% less likely to have a stroke and 45% less likely to develop Parkinson’s disease.
As for psychological disorders, they were less likely to suffer from depression (40%) and anxiety (37%). All these figures are comparable to those observed among people who are active throughout the week.
While most of the “weekend warriors” studied exercised on Saturdays and Sundays, the scientists noted that some worked out in patterns that helped them meet the WHO recommendations at other times of the week. The latter enjoyed the same physical and mental benefits. As such, there is every reason to believe that physical activity is good for your health, even if it is concentrated on just one or two days of the week.
Like any study, this research has its limitations. For example, the scientists were unable to assess the impact of variations in exercise habits over time, or completely eliminate the influence of other lifestyle factors. However, this research adds to a growing body of scientific literature demonstrating the virtues of exercise.
Whether you enjoy a daily workout or you’re more of a “weekend warrior,” the most important thing is to engage in regular physical activity. Keeping moving is the best way to stay in shape and combat the many adverse health effects of sedentary lifestyles. – AFP Relaxnews
