Study should encourage women to move more (not less)
If men and women in the same age group were persuaded to regularly do the same amount of exercise, they were likely to gain greater health benefits than they did. This is what research just published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology suggests.
The expert recommendation, in general, is that men and women between the ages of 19 and 64 get at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise, or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise, per week, with muscle-strengthening activities at least twice a week.
However, studies have shown that girls and women tend to do less physical activity than boys and men. Despite this, new evidence suggests that men and women achieve different results with the same physical activity.
Even a little exercise makes a difference
“Our study does not suggest that women should exercise less, but rather encourages those who may not exercise enough for a variety of reasons, and that even relatively small amounts of exercise can provide significant benefits,” the co-author said and researcher Hongwei Ji. from Tsinghua University, China.
Ji and his team analyzed data from 412,413 healthy participants, recruited from 1997 to 2017. By the end of 2019, 39,935 had died, of which 11,670 were due to cardiovascular problems. During the study, participants took part in health surveys, which included questions about exercise.
The findings reveal that a greater percentage of men engaged in regular physical activity and strengthening exercises than women.
However, while exercise was associated with a reduced risk of premature death for both men and women – including cardiovascular events such as heart attack and stroke – the benefits were greater for women.
They get more benefits in less time
Among other findings, the team found that 140 minutes of moderate exercise per week reduced the risk of premature death from any cause in women by 18%, compared to inactivity. In contrast, men needed 300 minutes of the same exercise per week to achieve a similar gain.
The risk reduction increased with time spent exercising for both men and women, up to about 300 minutes of moderate activity per week, and then leveled off. At this level, women had a 24% lower risk of premature death from any cause compared to inactivity.
“The 300 minute mark is where we see the greatest benefit, but statistically significant sex differences emerge at even lower doses,” Ji commented.
However, the team cautions that the study is based on self-reported exercise and does not include physical activity associated with household chores.
One explanation for the differences is body composition, which also differs for men and women. It is possible that, with the same amount of exercise, women have to exert more effort, which leads to a different response.
According to the conclusion of the study, Susan Cheng, from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, in the United States, it is clear that different types of investments generate different types of earnings for men and women.
She hopes these findings will serve as encouragement to women who may feel intimidated about exercising due to too much responsibilities at home or with their children. At least when it comes to physical activity, women don’t need to work out as much as men to get the same health benefits.
Source: Terra
Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.
