Good news for those who struggle to find time to exercise during the week: a recent study suggests that cramming your physical activity into the weekend can be just as beneficial for your health as spreading it out over several days.
The World Health Organization recommends that adults do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise each week. This could include activities like brisk walking, gardening, or cycling. However, a new study conducted by Zhi-Hao Li and his team from Southern Medical University in China analyzed data from over 93,000 individuals in the UK Biobank study to see if the timing of exercise made a difference.
The study found that those who packed their 150 minutes of exercise into one or two days had a 32% lower risk of death from all causes compared to those who didn’t meet the recommended activity levels. Similarly, the risk of death from cardiovascular disease was 31% lower, and from cancer, it was 21% lower.
Interestingly, there was no significant difference in the risk of death between those who exercised on weekends and those who exercised more regularly throughout the week. According to I-Min Lee from Harvard Medical School, the key takeaway is that there is no single “right” way to be active – whether you spread it out or do it all at once, the benefits are equally significant.
Vocabulary List:
- Cramming /ˈkræm.ɪŋ/ (verb): The act of gathering or accumulating something in a short period of time.
- Moderate-intensity /ˈmɒd.ər.ət ɪnˈtɛn.sɪ.ti/ (adjective): A level of exercise effort that is neither too easy nor too hard.
- Cardiovascular /ˌkɑːr.di.oʊˈvæs.kjʊ.lər/ (adjective): Relating to the heart and blood vessels.
- Risk /rɪsk/ (noun): The possibility of suffering harm or loss; danger.
- Beneficial /ˌbɛn.ɪˈfɪʃ.əl/ (adjective): Producing good results or helpful effects.
- Takeaway /ˈteɪkəˌweɪ/ (noun): A main point to be remembered or acted upon.
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