Weekend sports enthusiast? Your heart may be healthier than most

Are you a weekend-only athlete due to weekday constraints? A recent study might alleviate your concerns about your limited ability to exercise.

Delving into data from the British Biobank, this investigation aimed to address how frequently and effectively exercise impacts heart health.

Approximately 90,000 healthy individuals in their middle age participated, wearing an accelerometer sensor recording their activity levels for a week, with a focus on moderate to vigorous activities.

Over the subsequent six years, the study discovered that engaging in regular moderate to vigorous activity led to a reduced incidence of stroke, heart attack, heart failure, and irregular heart rhythm (atrial fibrillation) compared to a sedentary lifestyle.

Notably, whether individuals performed over half of their weekly activity during the weekend (dubbed "weekend warriors") or distributed it across the entire week, the benefits persisted—underlining the significance of moderate to vigorous exercise for heart health.

150 minutes a week

The existing US guidelines don't necessitate specific spacing of physical activity, explained Dr. Bethany Gibbs, Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at West Virginia University's School of Public Health, adding that the outcome of the study aligns with expectations.

She added that despite the common belief that activity should be spread out, the study may lead to increased motivation for activity over the weekend.

Weekend warriors see stronger heart health

The study's results highlighted a correlation between moderate physical activity and reduced cardiovascular risk. "Weekend warriors" exhibited a 27% lower risk of heart attack, while those distributing their activity across multiple days enjoyed a 35% lower risk.

For heart failure, the risk diminished by 38% for "weekend warriors" and 36% for regular exercisers. Similarly, the risk for irregular heart rhythm was 22% and 19% lower, and for stroke, it was 21% and 17% lower, respectively. Dr. Christopher Tanayen, a cardiologist at Lenox Hill Hospital, emphasized that in these instances, the risk reduction ranges from 20 to 40 percent, a substantial result akin to the effects of cholesterol-lowering medication.

Whether you're a 'weekend warrior' or someone who spreads activity throughout the week, exercise affords comparable protection against cardiovascular ailments," he explained, adding that while it's recommended to spread out activity across the week, the study's findings indicate that focusing on weekends when free time is ample is also a viable strategy, particularly for those leading busy lives.