Good news for people who skipped the gym today — weekend warriors may be just as likely to lower their risk of mild dementia as gym rats, a new study finds.
Over 10,000 middle-aged Mexico residents were divided into four groups based on their exercise habits — no-exercisers, weekend warriors who exercised/played sports once or twice a week, regularly active people who exercised three or more times a week and a combined group of weekend warriors and regularly active people.
Researchers from Chile and other countries monitored the participants for an average of 16 years and had them undergo an assessment to see if they developed mild cognitive impairment, which is often a precursor to dementia.
Some 2,400 cases of cognitive decline were identified, representing 26% of the no-exercisers, 14% of the weekend warriors and 18.5% of the regularly active group.
After accounting for age, education, tobacco use, sleep patterns, diet and alcohol consumption, the study authors determined weekend warriors were 25% less likely to develop mild dementia than the no-exercisers.
The regularly active people lowered their chances of mild cognitive impairment by 11% and the combined group by 16%.
Researchers also took into consideration about 450 people whose scores on the assessment put them on the line for a mild cognitive impairment diagnosis.
Compared with no-exercisers, weekend warriors were 13% less likely to develop mild dementia under the changed parameters.
The regularly active group and the combined group each had 12% reduced odds. The results were similar for men and women.
“To the best of our knowledge, this is the first prospective cohort study to show that the weekend warrior physical activity pattern and the regularly active physical activity pattern are associated with similar reductions in the risk of mild dementia,” the researchers wrote Tuesday in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.
They estimate that 13% of cognitive decline cases might be avoided if all middle-aged adults exercised at least once or twice a week.
The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans states that each week, adults should aim for 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity — that can be spread over several days or done all at once — and two days of muscle strengthening.
Physical activity is known to improve brain health in a variety of ways.
“Exercise may increase brain-derived neurotrophic factor concentrations [molecules that support the growth and survival of neurons] and brain plasticity,” the study authors wrote. “Physical activity is also associated with greater brain volume, greater executive function and greater memory.”
There were several limitations to the study, including that participants reported their dementia history and physical activity, which wasn’t objectively measured.
Nevertheless, the study authors say their findings have “important implications for policy and practice because the weekend warrior physical activity pattern may be a more convenient option for busy
people in Latin America and elsewhere.”
A different study, published last month, found weekend warriors can lower their risk of developing 264 diseases just as well as people who work out throughout the week.
