Association of different leisure-time physical activity patterns with risk of sarcopenia among US adults

Sarcopenia, a progressive loss of skeletal muscle mass and function, poses significant challenges to healthy aging. While leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) has been associated with better muscle-related health, it remains unclear whether condensed activity patterns: such as the “weekend warrior” model: show associations comparable to those of regular activity routines. We analyzed data from 11,780 U.S. adults aged 18 to 60 years in the 2011 to 2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Participants were categorized as physically inactive, weekend warriors, or regularly active based on total weekly LTPA volume and frequency. Sarcopenia was defined according to the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH) criteria using appendicular lean mass adjusted for body mass index. Logistic regression was used to examine associations, with subgroup analyses based on LTPA frequency, duration, volume, and intensity. Regular LTPA was significantly associated with reduced odds of sarcopenia (odds ratios = 0.654, 95% CI: 0.553–0.773, P < .001), whereas the weekend warrior pattern showed a directionally protective but nonsignificant association after full adjustment (odds ratios = 0.684, 95% CI: 0.467–1.001, P = .051). Higher frequency, session duration, and vigorous-intensity activity were all associated with lower odds of sarcopenia. Our findings suggest that not only total volume but also the distribution and intensity of LTPA are relevant to sarcopenia risk. These insights may help inform future studies and behavior-based strategies aimed at preserving muscle health in working-age populations.