Maximizing Exercise Benefits: A Comparative Study between Men and Women

Understanding Exercise and Its Benefits

Exercise, a term that encapsulates any form of movement that works your muscles and causes your body to burn calories, serves as a cornerstone for a healthy lifestyle. Active living has been proven to offer a plethora of physical and mental health benefits, and research even suggests it could help increase longevity.

Women and Exercise: A Closer Look at the Benefits

According to a national study, women who engage in regular exercise show a 24% lower risk of dying over the study period compared to those who don’t exercise. Notably, regular exercise also contributed to a 36% lower risk of dying from a cardiovascular issue among women. These findings suggest that women may be more efficient in responding to exercise, especially concerning heart health and mortality.

The Comparative Advantage of Exercise Benefit for Women

Further research supported by the National Institutes of Health revealed that even with less effort, women who exercise regularly have a significantly lower risk of premature death or a fatal cardiovascular event than men who also regularly exercise. Among all types of exercise, including moderate aerobic activity, vigorous exercise, and strength training, women experienced greater reduced risks for death compared to men.

Reduced Physical Activity Requirements for Women

A study analysing data from over 400,000 US adults discovered that women who engage in just 2.5 hours of moderate physical activity or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise weekly have a 24% lower chance of dying compared to women who don't exercise regularly. This is a higher reduction compared to men who exercise for the same amount of time. The study suggests that women can see greater health benefits with less exercise than men, emphasizing the importance of incorporating exercise into the weekly routine for optimal health.

Strength Training: An Essential Component of Exercise

Women who engage in just 140 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise weekly can experience an 18% reduced death risk, while just 57 minutes of vigorous aerobic exercise a week can produce a 19% reduced death risk. Moreover, strength training also has significant benefits, with women seeing a 19% reduced risk of death and a 30% lower risk of a cardiovascular event.

Reaping Greater Cardiovascular Gains with Less Effort

The Smidt Heart Institute at Cedars-Sinai found that women can achieve greater cardiovascular gains from exercise than men, even with less effort. Women reached the same degree of survival benefit from exercising just under about 2 1/2 hours per week, while men needed about five hours per week. These findings reveal that women can extract more from each minute of moderate to vigorous activity than men do, further emphasizing the efficiency of women's bodies in responding to exercise.