Weekend exercisers have the same risk of mild dementia as those who work out more often, a study indicates
A new study reveals that individuals who only engage in exercise on weekends face a similar risk of developing mild dementia as those who work out more frequently.
The research, published online on Tuesday in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, focused on weekend warriors who participate in one or two workout sessions per week.
A team of researchers from Latin America and Europe sought to explore whether the frequency of physical activity impacts the likelihood of developing mild dementia.
The study showed that the weekend exercise routine not only appears to be as effective at preventing the condition, but it may also be more attainable for individuals with busy schedules.
The researchers analyzed two sets of survey data from the Mexico City Prospective Study, a long-term project that tracked the health of thousands of residents in Mexico City over several years. The initial survey was conducted between 1998 and 2004, followed by a second survey in 2015, which continued for four years.
A total of 10,033 participants, with an average age of 51, were included in the surveys, and their responses contributed to the study.
In the first survey, participants were asked about their exercise habits, including how often they exercised and the duration of their sessions.
Based on the responses, the researchers categorized the participants into four groups: those who didn’t exercise at all; the weekend warriors who exercised or played sports once or twice a week; the regular exercisers who worked out at least three times a week; and a combined group of both regular exercisers and weekend warriors.
In the second survey, participants’ cognitive function was evaluated using the Mini Mental State Examination, which is considered one of the most widely used tools for screening cognitive decline and dementia in older adults, according to the study.
The results were consistent for both men and women
The researchers discovered that weekend exercisers had a 13% lower likelihood of developing mild cognitive impairment compared to those who didn’t engage in physical activity. Meanwhile, those who exercised regularly or in combination with weekend workouts were 12% less likely to develop it. These findings were consistent across both genders.
The team concluded that 13% of mild dementia cases could be avoided if all middle-aged adults exercised at least once or twice a week.
Gary O'Donovan, lead author and adjunct professor at the School of Medicine at the University of the Andes in Colombia, told Dinogo that roughly half of the weekend exercisers reported engaging in at least 30 minutes of exercise per session, while the others exercised for an hour or more.
When compared to the non-exercising group, the weekend warriors showed a 13% lower risk of developing mild dementia, while those in the regular and combined groups had a 12% lower risk. O'Donovan explained that these are “average values” and that the “margins of error overlap,” suggesting similar risk reductions across all groups.
The researchers found that both the weekend warrior and regularly active exercise patterns were linked to similar reductions in the risk of mild dementia after adjusting for various confounding factors.
These factors included variables such as age, gender, education level, and body mass index, which could potentially influence the connection between physical activity and cognitive health.
The researchers added: “As far as we know, this is the first prospective cohort study to demonstrate that both the weekend warrior and regularly active exercise patterns are associated with comparable reductions in the risk of developing mild dementia.”
O'Donovan highlighted the importance of the weekend warrior exercise pattern, noting that lack of time is a significant barrier to engaging in regular physical activity. Surveys from around the world show that two-thirds of adults wish they could exercise more but simply don’t have the time.
O'Donovan also expressed his long-standing interest in dispelling the notion that there’s a one-size-fits-all approach to exercise. He emphasized that weekend warriors should be reassured that their exercise routine is perfectly fine and beneficial.
He remarked: “The evidence supporting the benefits of the weekend warrior approach is really starting to build. It’s becoming clear that the health advantages are nearly identical to those of exercising more frequently.”
There is increasing evidence supporting the advantages of weekend exercise routines.
The researchers suggest that their findings could have significant implications for health policy and practices, especially since the weekend warrior approach might be a more feasible option for busy individuals in Latin America and beyond.
Their conclusions align with a larger, recent study that found weekend warrior workouts could be just as effective as more frequent exercise in reducing the risk of over 200 diseases. This research, published in the journal *Circulation* in September, was based on data from the *UK Biobank* project.
Chris Russell, a senior lecturer at the University of Worcester’s Association for Dementia Studies, praised the research as promising, emphasizing that “further studies are necessary, particularly in middle- to low-income countries” like Mexico. Russell was not involved in this particular study.
“There is evidence that physical activity can play a role in preventing dementia,” he explained, noting that activities like dancing, walking, and team sports, along with other forms of exercise, can all be beneficial.
In addition to the physical benefits of exercise, the social aspect—such as the interaction and companionship it often involves—can also help prevent cognitive decline, Russell added.
He emphasized that while there is strong evidence linking physical activity to dementia prevention, he also pointed out that it’s not a guarantee, as other factors like diet and smoking must also be considered.
Currently, over 55 million people worldwide are living with dementia, with nearly 10 million new diagnoses occurring each year, according to the World Health Organization.
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