It can often seem impossible to combine a career and a social life while staying fit and healthy.
But just one workout a week can be as effective as going to the gym every day, new research shows.
According to Chinese researchers, “weekend warriors” – people who exercise intensively only one or two days a week – experience similar mood-enhancing effects.
The scientists, who followed more than 75,000 Britons, found that they reduced their risk of anxiety and depression by 28 percent compared to people who were inactive.
Weekend warriors also saw a reduction in dementia risk by almost a quarter (23 percent).
The scientists, who followed more than 75,000 Britons, found that they reduced their risk of anxiety and depression by 28 percent compared to those who were inactive. Weekend warriors also saw a reduction in dementia risk of almost a quarter (23 percent)
According to academics behind the study, the results show that short periods of intense exercise could even be a “potential alternative to preventive intervention strategies.”
The experts from Hangzhou Normal University analyzed data from 75,629 participants with an average age of 62, who wore digital devices on their wrists similar to Apple Watches or Fitbits.
Nearly a third (32.2 percent) were considered inactive, with 28.2 percent exercising regularly and 39.6 percent considered weekend exercisers.
The latest study involved people who exercised about 150 minutes or more per week, with at least 50 percent of the exercise occurring within two days.
During a mean follow-up of 8 years, 530 people were diagnosed with dementia, 1,468 with stroke, 319 with Parkinson’s disease, 1,507 with depression and 1,794 with anxiety disorder.
Scientists found that people who exercised on weekends reduced their risk of stroke by 13 percent and their risk of Parkinson’s disease by almost half (49 percent), compared to people who were inactive.
Writing in the diary Natural agingAccording to the scientists: ‘Following a weekend battle pattern, characterized by concentrated bouts of moderate to vigorous physical activity within 1 to 2 days, is associated with a similar reduction in risk for brain disorders as the regularly active pattern.’
However, the researchers acknowledged that the study had “some limitations,” including the fact that participants were only between the ages of 43 and 79.
“Caution is advised when generalizing these findings to populations outside the specific age group, such as those aged 80 years and older,” the researchers said.
The wrist-worn devices may also “not fully capture certain activities, such as stationary cycling, potentially leading to inaccuracies,” they added.
Levels of physical activity can also vary with age. In addition, the study did not account for changes in patterns over the volunteers’ entire lifespan.
The World Health Organization (WHO) also recommends that adults engage in at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week, or 75 minutes of vigorous activity per week.
It is estimated that a sedentary lifestyle in the UK, where Britons spend their working hours sitting at a desk and then sitting in front of the TV on the train or car on the way home, costs thousands of lives every year.
It was estimated in 2019 that 70,000 people die from the disease each year, and the health problems it causes cost the NHS £700 million a year to treat.
A 2018 study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that nearly one in 10 (8.3 percent) of adult deaths in the country are due to physical inactivity.
According to the WHO, approximately 2 million people worldwide die each year from physical inactivity, making it one of the top 10 causes of death and disability worldwide.
Physical inactivity has long been linked to health problems such as heart disease. It also contributes to health problems such as obesity, which in turn has been linked to an increased risk of type 2 diabetes and certain cancers.
Cardiovascular diseases are usually associated with the buildup of fatty deposits in the arteries. This can lead to dangerous blockages that can cause a heart attack or stroke.
Stokes disease is considered one of the leading causes of death and disability in the UK, killing around 38,000 people each year and leaving many more disabled.
According to the CDC, an estimated 160,000 people die from stroke each year in the U.S., and someone has a stroke every 40 seconds.