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Accelerometer-derived 'weekend warrior' physical activity pattern and brain health
Min J, Cao Z, Duan T, Wang Y, Xu C.. Nature aging, 2024-08-21
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Extensive evidence shows the beneficial effect of adhering to a regular physical activity (PA) pattern on brain health. However, whether the 'weekend warrior' pattern, characterized by concentrated moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) over 1-2 days, is associated with brain health is unclear. Here, we perform a prospective cohort study including 75,629 participants from the UK Biobank with validated accelerometry data.
Key findings
- However, whether the 'weekend warrior' pattern, characterized by concentrated moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) over 1-2 days, is associated with brain health is unclear.
- Here, we perform a prospective cohort study including 75,629 participants from the UK Biobank with validated accelerometry data.
- Individuals were classified into three PA patterns using current guideline thresholds: inactive ( -1 of MVPA), weekend warrior (≥150 min week -1 with ≥50% of total MVPA occurring within 1-2 days) and regularly active (≥150 min week -1 but not meeting weekend warrior criteria).
- We find that the weekend warrior pattern is associated with similarly lower risks of dementia, stroke, Parkinson's disease, depressive disorders and anxiety compared to a regularly active pattern.
Why it matters
This UK Biobank study examined whether concentrating moderate-to-vigorous physical activity into one or two days a week, the 'weekend warrior' pattern, is linked to brain health. It is an observational study of activity patterns and does not prove that any activity pattern prevents dementia.
Study details
- Study designcohort study
- Participants75,629
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 63/100
Published in a leading specialty journal, and it is a cohort study following people over time. Scored zero for effect reported and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 9 / 10 | Tier 2 — leading specialty journal (Nature aging) |
| Journal's citation record | 1 / 4 | Nature Aging: journal h-index 103 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 7 / 12 | A cohort study following people over time |
| Strength of evidence | 3 / 5 | Rated “moderate” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 4 / 5 | 2024 — within 3 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 4 / 4 | 75,629 participants |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 4 / 7 | Cited 69 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 17.2 citations a year over 4 year(s) since 2024 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 16.5× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 1 / 6 | Cited by 1 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 3 / 4 | Cited 69 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Chenjie Xu: h-index 23 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Peking University: institution h-index 1,098 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 5 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 39169268) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 63 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
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Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Min, J., Cao, Z., Duan, T., Wang, Y., & Xu, C. (2024). Accelerometer-derived 'weekend warrior' physical activity pattern and brain health. Nature aging. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43587-024-00688-y
Vancouver
Min J, Cao Z, Duan T, Wang Y, Xu C. Accelerometer-derived 'weekend warrior' physical activity pattern and brain health. Nature aging. 2024. doi:10.1038/s43587-024-00688-y. PMID: 39169268.
BibTeX
@article{min2024-39169268,
author = {Min, J. and Cao, Z. and Duan, T. and Wang, Y. and Xu, C.},
title = {{Accelerometer-derived 'weekend warrior' physical activity pattern and brain health}},
journal = {Nature aging},
year = {2024},
doi = {10.1038/s43587-024-00688-y},
pmid = {39169268},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1038/s43587-024-00688-y}
}
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