Accelerometer-derived ‘weekend warrior’ physical activity pattern and brain health

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Abstract
Extensive evidence shows the beneficial effect of adhering to a regular physical activity (PA) pattern on brain health. However, whether the ‘weekend warrior’ pattern, characterized by concentrated moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) over 1–2 days, is associated with brain health is unclear. Here, we perform a prospective cohort study including 75,629 participants from the UK Biobank with validated accelerometry data. Individuals were classified into three PA patterns using current guideline thresholds: inactive (−1 of MVPA), weekend warrior (≥150 min week−1 with ≥50% of total MVPA occurring within 1–2 days) and regularly active (≥150 min week−1 but not meeting weekend warrior criteria). We find that the weekend warrior pattern is associated with similarly lower risks of dementia, stroke, Parkinson’s disease, depressive disorders and anxiety compared to a regularly active pattern. Our findings highlight the weekend warrior pattern as a potential alternative in preventive intervention strategies, particularly for those unable to maintain daily activity routines.
Funding Information
  • Hangzhou Normal University (4265C50221204119)
  • Zhejiang Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China
  • National Natural Science Foundation of China (72342017)
  • Major Science and Technology Project of Public Health in Tianjin

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