Both regular and condensed ‘weekend warrior’ exercise protects against eye disease

Scientists from Wenzhou Medical University in China have explored how physical activity patterns affect an individual’s risk of developing age-related eye disease as part of a new study published in Eye and Vision.

Researchers followed 86,271 UK Biobank participants over an average period of around eight years.

The participants, who were free of age-related eye disease at the outset of the study period, were classified into three groups: inactive, ‘weekend warriors’ (WW) and regularly active.

The inactive participants completed less than the internationally recommended 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity each week, while the WW met this threshold over a one to two day period.

The regularly active study participants met the threshold over a longer timeframe than the WW.

The researchers found that both the WW and regularly active groups had a lower risk of developing age-related eye diseases – including cataracts, diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration – when compared to the inactive cohort.

There was no statistically significant difference between the two active groups for most outcomes.

“These findings suggest that the WW approach is a viable and flexible alternative for individuals who find it difficult to maintain daily physical activity,” the researchers highlighted.