Should we engage in light daily exercise or intense workouts over the weekend to promote heart health?

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Currently, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate activity per week, without specifying the ideal schedule.

A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) on July 18, 2023 shed light on this issue. It confirms that achieving 150 minutes (2 hours and 30 minutes) of moderate to intense physical activity over 1 or 2 days is equivalent, in terms of cardiovascular disease risk, to spreading it out over several days of the week.

Various weekly physical activity patterns were examined in this study, which involved 89,573 participants with an average age of 62, of which 56% were women. Physical activity data were collected using a wrist-worn accelerometer over a full week, between June 8, 2013, and December 30, 2015.

Three models of physical activity were compared: those who favored intense weekend activity with at least 150 minutes, half of which was done in 1 or 2 days, those with regular and active activity of over 150 minutes spread over several days, and those labeled as “inactive” with physical activity below 150 minutes.

Among the 89,573 participants, 37,872 (42.2%) were in the active weekend group, 21,473 (24%) had regular activity spread throughout the week, and 30,228 (33.7%) were considered “inactive”.

Analysis of the data from these three groups confirmed that the risk of cardiovascular disorders such as atrial fibrillation, heart failure, and stroke was similar, whether the 2 hours and 30 minutes of physical activity were concentrated on 1 or 2 days (such as the weekend) or evenly distributed over several days of the week. Furthermore, the risk was lower in the two groups active on the weekend and with regular physical activity compared to the “inactive” group.

Thus, maintaining regular physical activity proves equally beneficial for cardiovascular health, regardless of the chosen weekly distribution. The key is to tailor this activity to one’s own physical capabilities. To preserve our health, let’s combat sedentary behavior to the best of our abilities.”