A recent study reveals that exercise may particularly benefit women more than men. While previous research indicates that any form of physical activity decreases the risk of premature death, this study suggests that women require less exercise to achieve similar health gains. Dr. Susan Cheng, the study’s author, notes that women enjoy greater benefits from the same amount of effort compared to men.
The study tracked over 400,000 US adults, aged 27 to 61, from 1997 to 2019, linking their exercise habits to national death records. The findings show that women engaging in at least 150 minutes of exercise weekly experienced a 24% reduction in all-cause mortality, while men saw a 15% drop with the same level of activity. Moreover, exercising women were 36% less likely to suffer cardiovascular events, in contrast to a 14% reduced risk in men.
Significantly, men needed to exercise more (300 minutes weekly) to realise the greatest health benefits, compared to women, who only needed 140 minutes. The observational nature of the study means causation cannot be definitively established, although the results highlight the necessity of regular exercise for improved health outcomes. According to cardiovascular expert Dr. Andrew Freeman, physical activity is an underutilised treatment that can avert numerous health issues.