Cramming exercise into just one or two days a week is enough to slash the risk of early death, a study suggests.
People who followed the ‘weekend warrior’ approach were much less likely to die from any cause, heart disease and cancer than those who were inactive.
And the benefits were remarkably similar to those who spread their physical activity into smaller chunks throughout the week.
Researchers said their findings show exercise patterns do not matter as long as people achieve 150 minutes (2.5 hours) of moderate to vigorous activity each week.
The study, published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, examined data on more than 93,000 people from the UK who wore FitBit-style trackers on their wrist.
Dr Zhi-Hao Li, who led the study at Southern Medical University in Guangzhou, China, said: ‘You don’t need to exercise every day to stay healthy.
‘As long as you get 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per week — whether packed into one to two days or spread out — you can significantly reduce your risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, cancer or other causes.
‘This message is encouraging news for busy people who struggle to fit in daily workouts but can manage a concentrated burst of activity on weekends or over a couple of days.
Cramming exercise into just one or two days a week is enough to slash the risk of early death, a study suggests.
People who followed the ‘weekend warrior’ approach were much less likely to die from any cause, heart disease and cancer than those who were inactive.
‘The research provides reassuring evidence that even sporadic physical activity can have lasting health benefits, making it easier for people to prioritise their well-being amid busy schedules.’
The study categorised participants into one of three groups.
The ‘active weekend warriors’ completed most of their exercise in one or two days, ‘active regulars’ spread their activity through the week and the ‘inactives’ did not complete the recommended minimum of 150 minutes of weekly physical activity.
Compared to the inactive group, the weekend warrior and active regular groups had a significantly lower risk of death from all causes, cardiovascular disease and cancer if they completed 150 minutes of physical activity a week.
For weekend warriors, the risk of death from all causes was 32 per cent lower; the risk of death from cardiovascular disease was 31 per cent lower; and the risk of death from cancer was 21 per cent lower.
Among participants in the active regular group, the risk of death from all causes was 26 per cent lower; the risk of death from cardiovascular disease was 24 per cent lower; and the risk of death from cancer was 13 per cent lower.
No significant differences in the risk of death surfaced between the weekend warrior and the active regular group.
While the new research aligns with previous studies, it is the first to analyse the relationship between physical activity patterns measured by accelerometers and the risk of death from cardiovascular disease and cancer.
Some of the findings surprised the research team, who initially expected that spreading activity throughout the week would be more beneficial.
They did not anticipate that weekend warriors’ condensed physical activity would reduce the risk of death from disease.
Researchers said their findings show exercise patterns do not matter as long as people achieve 150 minutes (2.5 hours) of moderate to vigorous activity each week.
The accelerometers captured a range of activities, including walking, jogging, stationary cycling, elliptical exercises, household chores, gardening and leisure activities such as dancing.
Dr Li said: ‘This reinforces the idea that meeting the 150-minutes of physical activity per week guideline is key to longevity, regardless of the activity pattern.
‘Any activity — whether structured exercise such as jogging or daily tasks such as gardening — can be included if the intensity is moderate to vigorous.’
Dr Keith Diaz, from the American Heart Association, said: ‘Many people struggle to fit in daily exercise during the workweek; however, this research shows that even if you can only be active on the weekends, you can still gain meaningful health benefits.
‘One important caveat to remember is that trying to fit 150 minutes of exercise into just one or two days can be a lot on your body.
‘Some research suggests that weekend warriors have a slightly higher risk of musculoskeletal injuries compared to those who exercise more regularly.
‘However, the benefits of exercising just on the weekend far outweigh the potential risks.
‘If you are going to be a weekend warrior, make sure you do proper warm-ups and build up and progress to higher volumes of activity over time.
‘This will help to reduce your risk of injuries.’
Participants were aged 37 to 73, with an average age of 62. More than half (56 per cent) were women and 97 per cent were white.
They only had their physical activity measured for one week at the beginning of the study and their health was monitored for an average of eight years.
The accelerometers captured a range of activities, including walking, jogging, stationary cycling, elliptical exercises, household chores, gardening and leisure activities such as dancing.
Based on accelerometer data, 42 per cent of participants were classified as weekend warrior, 24 per cent as active regular and 34 per cent as inactive.
During eight years of follow-up, nearly 4,000 adults died from all causes, including about 17 per cent from cardiovascular disease and about 45 per cent from cancer.
Compared to the inactive participants, those who exercised during two days each week were more likely to be men, younger, have a degree, non-smokers, non-drinkers, less likely to have Type 2 diabetes and/or to have lower body mass index.
