Is 'weekend warrior' physical activity beneficial?

Physical activity together with a healthy balanced diet can keep us healthy and prolong our lives. However finding time to exercise can be a challenge for working people due to long working hours.  

For most people, the weekends are the best time to fit in physical activity. The pattern of limited physical activity during the week and one to two sessions of moderate to intensive physical activity at the weekends also known as “weekend warrior” pattern is norm for working people.

But, is this pattern of physical activity beneficial? According to a recent research study, weekend warrior physical activity may significantly lower the risk of death from all causes including cancer and cardiovascular diseases.

WHO recommendations for physical activity

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), physical inactivity is the fourth-leading risk factor for global mortality (death) and has major implications for the prevalence of non-communicable diseases

(NCDs) and general health of the population worldwide¹.  

In order to improve cardio-respiratory and muscular fitness, bone health and reduce the risk of NCDs and depression, WHO recommend that adults aged 18–64 years should do at least

WHO further recommends that aerobic activity should be performed in bouts of at least 10 minutes duration.

Aerobic physical activity is activity in which the body’s large muscles move in a rhythm for a sustained period of time and improves cardio-respiratory fitness. 

Examples include walking, running, swimming and cycling. The “talk test” is a simple way to estimate the intensity level of any physical activity. 

At the moderate intensity of physical activity such as brisk walking, you will be breathing harder than normal but you should still be able to carry on a conversation. During vigorous intensity physical activity such as running, you may become out of breath and will have a difficult time talking.

These recommendations describe the duration, intensity and frequency of physical activity for health.  However,

WHO does not give any guidance on how to best combine the various elements to achieve health benefits.  For example, what is the optimum number of sessions required to achieve the recommended duration of activity?   

Evidence on Weekend warrior” pattern of physical activity

Earlier evidence suggested that weekend warrior pattern of physical activity did not make up for an inactive week.   However, an original research paper published in January 2017 in the JAMA Internal Medicine journal suggested otherwise. 

The study conducted in the U.K over 1994 – 2012, assessed the physical activity patterns of more than 63,000 people aged 40 and over.  It compared the risk of death in participants with four different patterns of physical activity: i) inactive ii) active below recommended guidelines iii) weekend warrior** achieving recommended guidelines in 1 or 2 sessions per week and iv) regularly active achieving recommended guidelines in 3 sessions per week.

The authors concluded that weekend warrior and other leisure time physical activity patterns characterised by 1 or 2 sessions per week may be sufficient to reduce the risk of death from all causes including cardio-vascular diseases and cancer². 

This benefit was evident regardless of the intensity of physical activity. In addition, compared with adults who were inactive, the weekend warriors had 30% lower risk of death from all causes.

However positive these results of the study may seem, we need to consider a number of points not addressed. The study addresses reduction in the risk of death but not health benefits such as reduction in risk of type 2 diabetes, blood pressure control, lowering blood cholesterol and maintaining a healthy weight.

A limited number of studies have also suggested an increased risk of injury in intensive physical activity over short periods.

What pattern of physical activity is best?

No single pattern of physical activity would be suitable for everyone due to our different lifestyles, fitness levels, and health status. Any pattern of physical activity is better than none.

For those of us who are not able to exercise on a daily basis, 1 or 2 sessions of moderate to intense physical activity per week may be sufficient to reduce the risk of death from all causes including cardiovascular disease and cancer.

In addition, physical activity at recommended levels can improve cardio-respiratory and muscular fitness, bone health and reduce the risk of many non-communicable diseases.

**A weekend warrior is a person who participates in a usually physically strenuous activity only on weekends or in their spare time

 

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