A recent study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology suggests that women may gain greater health benefits from exercise compared to men.
Researchers found that women need less than half the amount of moderate to vigorous aerobic activity per week compared to men to achieve similar reductions in mortality risk.
Specifically, women required around 2.5 hours per week, while men needed five hours. The study, analyzing data from over 400,000 adults in the U.S., revealed a 24% reduction in mortality risk for active women compared to 15% for men.
Dr. Martha Gulati, co-lead author, highlighted the potential of these findings to motivate women to prioritize physical activity.
However, the study’s observational design limits the ability to establish causation.
Despite this, the results underscore the importance of exercise in reducing cardiovascular mortality, particularly significant given that heart disease is the leading cause of death among women in the United States.
Moreover, the study revealed gender differences in the benefits of strength training, with women needing fewer sessions to achieve similar outcomes compared to men.
The authors suggest physiological disparities between men and women may contribute to these variations. Regardless of gender, experts emphasize the importance of regular exercise, aligning with recommendations from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
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