Background: Recent research has focused on a new group called the
“weekend warriors”. These individuals accumulate their recommended moderate to
vigorous physical activity (MVPA) over just 1–2 days, often during weekends,
while remaining relatively inactive during the rest of the week. However, the
effects of engaging in low-frequency MVPA on the risk of metabolic syndrome
(MetS) are not well understood. This study investigated the association between
physical activity patterns and the risk of MetS among Korean adults.
Methods: This study included 26,197 participants (11,804 male and 14,393
female) aged 20 years from the Korea National Health and Nutrition
Examination Survey. MVPA was measured using a global physical activity
questionnaire. MetS was defined as the presence of more than three risk factors.
Results: The odds ratio (OR) for MetS was 0.60 (95% confidence interval
[CI] = 0.52, 0.70) in the “regularly active” group and 0.82 (95% CI = 0.69,
0.98) in the “weekend warrior” group compared to that in the inactive group
(reference), which controlled for all covariates. For sensitivity analyses, the
results across all subgroups exhibited similar patterns, with more pronounced
effects observed in women, middle-aged individuals, and non-drinkers/light
drinkers. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that concentrated bouts of
moderate to vigorous physical activity, even if undertaken infrequently, confer
health benefits that align with the recommended guidelines. This study
contributes to the growing evidence on the relationship between physical activity
patterns and MetS risk in Korean adults. The study also emphasizes the potential
of different activity patterns in mitigating metabolic risk.
