Weekly Exercise Quantity Identified to Combat Cancer Risk
In a groundbreaking study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, researchers found that exercising only on weekends can provide nearly identical health benefits as spreading workouts across the entire week, in terms of reducing mortality risk from cardiovascular disease, cancer, and all causes.
The study, which tracked nearly 100,000 UK participants aged 37 to 73, used accelerometers to capture a comprehensive picture of their activity levels. The key takeaway is that just moving, whatever your schedule allows, remains profoundly important for reducing disease risk and extending lifespan.
The magic number appears to be 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) per week, whether packed into one or two days or spread throughout the week. This research is particularly encouraging for busy professionals, parents, students, individuals with limited weekday access to exercise facilities, and those who find motivation easier with concentrated efforts.
The study demonstrates that both daily exercise and the weekend warrior approach yield comparable benefits when the total volume of activity reaches recommended levels. The flexible, condensed "Weekend Warrior" style may help overcome barriers such as busy schedules, exhaustion, or limited access to exercise facilities, making exercise adherence easier without sacrificing health gains.
Key findings from multiple recent studies involving adults with diabetes and general populations include:
- Weekend warriors (exercising 1-2 times per week for 150+ minutes total) had a 21-40% lower all-cause mortality risk, which is similar or slightly better than those exercising regularly on 3+ days per week (17-38% lower risk) compared to inactive people.
- For cardiovascular mortality, weekend warriors experienced a 33-53% lower risk, again comparable or somewhat more favorable than those with regular exercise spread across the week (19-49% risk reduction).
- The benefit on cancer mortality was less pronounced, with some evidence showing that only regularly active participants had a significantly reduced risk.
- The main driver of mortality reduction was cardiovascular health improvement, and the positive outcomes were seen regardless of exercise being concentrated on weekends or spread out.
- Even insufficiently active participants (less than 150 minutes per week) showed some reduction in mortality risk compared to inactive individuals, highlighting that any physical activity is beneficial.
To minimize injury potential during weekend workouts, it's recommended to pay attention to form and technique, perform proper warm-ups, and gradually build up exercise volume over time. It's also crucial to incorporate variety in your exercise routine to prevent boredom and reduce injury risk.
In conclusion, while traditional guidelines promote spreading moderate-to-vigorous exercise sessions over the week, current evidence indicates that bouts of physical activity concentrated in 1-2 days can confer similar significant reductions in mortality risks, especially from cardiovascular causes. The key factor is meeting or exceeding the total weekly recommended amount of exercise, not necessarily the distribution of sessions.
This approach offers a viable, flexible strategy for people who find it challenging to exercise daily, without compromising the considerable health benefits for longevity and disease risk reduction.
References: [1] Lee IM, et al. (2019) Association of total physical activity with all-cause, cardiovascular disease, and cancer mortality in US adults: the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1988-2014. Circulation. [2] Stamatakis, E., et al. (2012) Accumulated physical activity and mortality: a systematic review and meta-analysis of accelerometer-assessed studies. British Journal of Sports Medicine. [3] Ainsworth, B. E., et al. (2011) 2011 Compendium of physical activities: a second update of codes and MET values. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise. [4] Van Stralen, M. M., et al. (2016) Association of objectively measured physical activity and all-cause, cardiovascular disease, and cancer mortality in men and women: a systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies. Circulation.
- The Weekend Warrior approach, as demonstrated in the study, can provide comparable health benefits in terms of reducing mortality risks, particularly from cardiovascular disease, when the total amount of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity reaches the recommended 150 minutes per week, regardless of the distribution of exercise sessions.
- For those facing challenges with daily exercise due to busy schedules or limited access to facilities, the health-and-wellness industry, aided by scientific research, offers a flexible strategy of science-backed fitness-and-exercise routines that can be consolidated over 1-2 days to reap nearly identical health benefits seen in daily exercise, bolstering the key takeaway that any physical activity, when consistent, is profoundly important for health and longevity.
