- Spreading the recommended 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity evenly throughout the week may not be necessary to reap its cognitive health benefits, according to a new study.
- The authors of the study were particularly interested in the effect of concentrating physical activity on just a few days a week on the risk of dementia, Parkinson’s disease and stroke.
- The study found that “weekend warriors” who get more than 50% of their weekly exercise on days off appear to benefit just as much as those who spread their activity throughout the week.
- When physical activity is concentrated into just a few days, the remaining five days of relatively less activity become a time for the body to recover, heal and regain strength.
A new study suggests that weekend warriors who get most of their exercise done on one to two days a week may reap similar cognitive benefits — such as lower risk dementia and Parkinson’s disease — like those who exercise more regularly.
Experts agree that participation in moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) for at least 150 minutes per week is associated with profound health benefits. However, many find it difficult to find time to exercise during a busy week.
A large observational study has now been published
The purpose of the study is to investigate an area that the authors believe has been understudied: the timing and pace of recommended levels of MVPA.
Depending on the schedule, these two days may or may not be a weekend. The thing is, according to the study, a person can ease up on physical activity a bit during busy days and make up for it during less stressful times.
The investigation was conducted by researchers in China who analyzed data from 75,629 people in China British Biobank. The average age of the participants was 62 years.
A unique feature of the study was that about 100,000 participants wore them fitness trackerswhich provided researchers with an objective measure of activity levels.
The study authors divided individuals into three groups:
- Inactive people — who did not meet the recommended 150 minutes of MVPA per week
- Regularly active people — who spread their 150 minutes of MVPA evenly throughout the week
- Weekend Warriors – who get more than 50% of their MVPA in one or two days and the rest during the week.
Scientists were particularly interested in the effect of physical activity on brain health: dementiaParkinson’s disease and stroke.
Study participants were followed for a median of 8.4 years, during which time researchers combed medical records to track the incidence of dementia, Parkinson’s disease, stroke and other mental disorders in the study cohort.
Paul Arciero, MS, DPEa professor in the Department of Health and Human Physiological Sciences at Skidmore College, who was not involved in the study, explained that MVPA “benefits the brain in many ways.” Arciero said physical activity “is increasing blood flow throughout the body, including the brain, which helps deliver nutrients and oxygen to cells and removes harmful, unwanted waste products/toxins, etc.
“Increased blood flow to the brain helps the growth of new nerve fibers and blood vessels and reduces plaque build-up, inflammationand free radicals. Increases anti-inflammatory substances and antioxidants,” he explained.
Arciero pointed out that in his own work with individuals the same age as those in the study, he moderates aerobic exercise three or more days a week led to improvements in cognition and blood markers responsible for nerve growth.
MVPA also “releases opioids in the brain to make us feel happier, more euphoric, and more satisfied,” he noted.
Ryan Glatt, CPT, NBC-HWCsenior brain health coach and director of the FitBrain program at the Pacific Neuroscience Institute in Santa Monica, CA, was also not involved in the study.
“Physical activity may improve mood through modulation of neurotransmitters, but the consistency and magnitude of these effects require further investigation,” Glatt said.
For people already experiencing symptoms of dementia or Parkinson’s disease, Glatt offered, “Activities like walk and tai chi may be beneficial, but effectiveness varies greatly between individuals and results are not universally guaranteed.”
Arciero said our bodies work best when we move every day, doing normal activities like taking the stairs, gardening, walking and so on. He noted the importance of allowing the body to recover from moderate to vigorous intensity exercise.
That’s why he said that while “the weekend warrior approach may be ideal for people who can’t fit MVPA into their routine, they should still try to simply be generally active five days a week and then push a bit more on the weekend.”
“As long as you include a proper one.” to warm up and cool down,” Arciero said.
Glatt said: “The study suggests that the ‘weekend warrior’ exercise model may offer similar benefits to brain health as regular exercisealthough the evidence is not conclusive.”
Arciero suggested a weekly schedule that might work for those who can’t spread out their more intense workouts throughout the week:
“The ideal scenario would be to walk 4-10,000 steps a day during the week and then do longer, more intense fitness activities during the weekend.” He suggested: “Longer hike, bike, swim, tennis, loading, yoga, [or] resistance training.”
Working days can then serve as recovery time.