Heart Health
"Weekend warriors" can lower cardiovascular risks, too
Research we're watching
- Reviewed by Toni Golen, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Women's Health Watch; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing; Contributor
Even "weekend warriors" can lower their cardiovascular risks with concentrated workouts only one or two days a week, a new analysis suggests.
The Harvard-led study, published online July 18, 2023, by JAMA, analyzed data from nearly 90,000 adults (average age 62, 56% women) who wore accelerometers on their wrists for one week to track physical activity. Researchers compared three patterns of moderate-to-vigorous exercise among the participants: 42% exercised in a "weekend warrior" pattern, concentrating at least 2.5 hours of activity into one or two days; about one-quarter spread their exercise over all seven days; and one-third were considered inactive, exercising less than 2.5 hours during the week. Compared with the inactive participants, both of the other groups had similar, and significantly lower, rates of cardiovascular problems such as atrial fibrillation, heart attack, stroke, and heart failure over the following six years.
Current guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity weekly to promote health. In light of the findings, study authors said, the amount of movement people get matters more than the pattern in which they exercise.
Image: © Courtney Hale/Getty Images
About the Author
Maureen Salamon, Executive Editor, Harvard Women's Health Watch
About the Reviewer
Toni Golen, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Women's Health Watch; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing; Contributor
Disclaimer:
As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. Please note the date of last review or update on all articles.
No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.
