Physical activity sessions concentrated on the weekend are as protective against dementia as those during the week.
- Concentrating your physical activity on the weekend is just as likely to reduce the risk of cognitive decline as having activity throughout the week.
- According to the study, 13% of dementia cases could be prevented if all adults exercised at least once or twice a week.
- The scientists add that the “weekend warrior” model may be easier to promote to people with busy schedules.
Recommendations for staying healthy advocate very regular, even daily, physical activity. But for your part, you can’t find time to put on your sports shoes outside of weekends. Don’t feel guilty, it’s already very beneficial for your brain!
A study published in the journal British Journal of Sports Medicine reveals that people who do one or two sessions of physical activity on the weekend, also nicknamed “weekend warriors”, reduce their risk of cognitive decline as much as diligent exercisers all year round. the week.
Physical activity and dementia: protective effects regardless of frequency
To evaluate the effect of sport on the risks of cognitive decline, the researchers took up two prospective surveys carried out in Mexico City between 1998 and 2004 for the first and between 2015 and 2019 for the second. This represented just over 10,000 volunteers with an average age of 51 years. Among other things, they had to indicate their level and frequency of physical activity. Tests were also conducted to assess their cognitive functions.
2,400 cases of mild cognitive impairment have been identified. The prevalence was 26% among non-athletes, 14% among “weekend warriors” and 18.5% among people doing sporting activity all week.
“Compared to people who did not exercise, weekend warriors were 13% less likely to develop mild cognitive impairment, while regularly active people and those who exercised on weekdays and weekends were 12 % less likely to do so”note the researchers in a press release. These results were similar for men and women.
Researchers estimated that, in theory, 13% of cases of cognitive decline could be avoided if all adults over the age of forty exercised at least once or twice a week.
Exercising to protect the brain
While these associations are not fully understood, researchers offer several possible explanations for the protective effect of exercise on brain health, highlighted in this study.
“For example, exercise can increase concentrations of brain-derived neurotrophic factors [molécules qui soutiennent la croissance et la survie des neurones] and brain plasticity. Physical activity is also associated with greater brain volume, greater executive function and greater memory.”they write in their press release.
“To the best of our knowledge, the present study 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 risk of mild dementia”they specify.
The team adds that given the busy daily lives of the working population, the “weekend warrior” model may be easier to promote during awareness campaigns about steps to take to reduce dementia risks.
