The weekend warrior physical activity pattern is associated with a reduced risk for mild dementia, according to study findings published in the Brutish Journal of Sports Medicine.

Researchers conducted a longitudinal analysis of the Mexico City Prospective Study to explore associations between the weekend warrior physical activity pattern and mild dementia risk. Participants aged 35 and older who completed the baseline survey between 1998 and 2004 and the follow-up survey between 2015 and 2019 were eligible for inclusion. Mortality was tracked through December 2020.

Those who reported exercising up to 1 to 2 times per week comprised the weekend warrior cohort, while those who exercised more often comprised the regularly active cohort. A third cohort comprised individuals who reported no exercise and a fourth cohort comprised individuals who reported exercising at frequencies consistent with both the weekend warrior and regularly active cohorts.

To assess mild dementia at resurvey, the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) was used. Mild dementia was defined as an MMSE score of 22 and lower, as well as 23 and lower. Cox models were used in statistical analysis.

This study has important implications for policy and practice because the weekend warrior physical activity pattern may be a more convenient option for busy people around the world.

A total of 10,033 participants were included in the analysis, of whom 7945 (79.19%; mean age, 51.1; women, 73.38%) comprised the no exercise cohort, 726 (7.24%; mean age, 49.5; women, 45.32%) comprised the weekend warrior, cohort and 1362 (13.58%; mean age, 52.2; women, 63.58%) comprised the regularly active cohort.

When mild dementia was defined as an MMSE score of 22 and lower, a total of 2400 cases of dementia were reported after a mean follow-up of 16.2 years. Compared with the no exercise cohort, the weekend warrior (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 0.75; 95% CI, 0.61-0.91), regularly active (aHR, 0.89; 95% CI, 0.78-1.02), and combined (aHR, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.75-0.95) cohorts all demonstrated a reduced risk for mild dementia.

If all middle-aged adults were to take part in sport or exercise at least once or twice per week and mild dementia were defined as an MMSE score of 22 and lower, 13% (95% CI, 5%-21%) of mild dementia cases would be theoretically eliminated.

When mild dementia was defined as an MMSE score of 23 and lower, a total of 2856 cases of dementia were reported. Compared with the no exercise cohort, the weekend warrior (aHR, 0.87; 95% CI, 0.74-1.03), regularly active (aHR, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.78-1.00), and combined (aHR, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.79-0.98) cohorts all demonstrated a reduced risk for mild dementia.

If all middle-aged adults were to take part in sport or exercise at least once or twice per week and mild dementia were defined as an MMSE score of 23 and lower, 10% (95% CI, 2%-18%) of mild dementia cases would be theoretically eliminated.

Study limitations include the reliance on self-reported data, sole use of questionnaires to measure physical activity, and potential misclassification.

“This study has important implications for policy and practice because the weekend warrior physical activity pattern may be a more convenient option for busy people around the world,” the study authors concluded.

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