Scientists reveal how much exercise is needed to ward off cancer risk
In this DML Report…
A study from China’s Southern Medical University in the Journal of the American Heart Association shows that “weekend warriors”—people who pack 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous exercise into one or two days—cut their risk of death from cancer, heart disease, and other causes just as much as those who spread it out weekly. Researchers tracked nearly 100,000 UK adults, ages 37 to 73, using accelerometers for seven days between 2013 and 2015, then monitored their health for eight years. Of the group, 42% were weekend warriors, 24% were regular exercisers, and 34% were inactive, with the active groups showing a significant drop in mortality risk compared to the inactive—regardless of exercise pattern.
The data revealed that hitting the 150-minute weekly target, whether in a couple of intense weekend sessions or daily workouts, slashes all-cause death risk by about 26%, cardiovascular death by 24%, and cancer death by 13% versus doing nothing. Activities tracked included walking, jogging, cycling, chores, and dancing, with weekend warriors often opting for harder, longer sessions. Over eight years, nearly 4,000 participants died—17% from heart disease, 45% from cancer—proving that total exercise volume, not timing, drives the benefit, a point lead researcher Dr. Zhi-Hao Li emphasized: you don’t need daily workouts to stay healthy.
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The findings also nod to broader health perks, with 150 minutes weekly linked to lower risks of type 2 diabetes, depression, and cancers like kidney and lung, per prior research. However, Columbia University’s Dr. Keith Diaz flagged a downside: weekend warriors face a slightly higher chance of muscle or joint injuries from cramming activity into fewer days. Still, the study’s clear takeaway is that busy folks can skip midweek gym trips and still protect their health with a solid weekend push—just warm up properly to avoid strain.