Women 'get same exercise benefits as men - but with less effort', study shows

24 February 2024 , 08:18

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The study found a gender gap exists between men and women (Image: Getty Images)

A "gender gap" between men and women has been found by researchers analysing the impact of exercise - with women "getting the same exercise benefits as men - but with less effort"

Published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC), the new health findings revealed women can exercise less often than men, but receive greater heart gains. Professor Martha Gulati, director of Preventive Cardiology at Smidt Heart Institute said: “Women have historically and statistically lagged behind men in engaging in meaningful exercise. The beauty of this study is learning that women can get more out of each minute of moderate to vigorous activity than men do. It’s an incentivising notion that we hope women will take to heart.”

Researchers analysed data from more than 400,000 US adults from 1997 to 2019 which was gathered by the National Health Interview Survey. Professor Susan Cheng, the study's senior author, said: “For all adults engaging in any regular physical activity, compared to being inactive, mortality risk was expectedly lower. Intriguingly, though, mortality risk was reduced by 24% in women and 15% in men.”

The team also studied moderate to vigorous physical activity - such as brisk walking or cycling - and found men reached their maximal survival benefit from doing this level of exercise for about five hours per week, Meanwhile, women achieved the same from only two-and-a-half hours per week. When it came to weightlifting and other muscle-strengthening body exercises, men reach their peak from doing three sessions per week compared to women who only need one.

Researchers found women can exercise fewer times than men but get the same benefit (Getty Images)

The study also showed women achieved maximal survival benefit if they exercised for 140 minutes per week whilst men need to perform twice as much at 300 minutes per week to gain the same benefits. Professor Gulati said: “Women continue to get further benefits for up to 300 minutes a week.”

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Professor Christine Albert added: “I am hopeful that this pioneering research will motivate women who are not currently engaged in regular physical activity to understand that they are in a position to gain tremendous benefit for each increment of regular exercise they are able to invest in their longer-term health.”

The Mirror previously reported how experts believe people should aim for at least three hours of activity every day, even if it’s just a gentle stroll. A large study on young people showed a lot of time sitting still can raise cholesterol levels by two thirds as an adult, potentially leading to heart problems. But regular light physical activity – such as walking, house chores and dancing – could completely reverse the risks.

Dr Andrew Agbaje, of Exeter University, said: “Our research suggests light physical activity may be an unsung hero and it is time the world replaced the mantra of ‘60 minutes a day of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity’ with ‘at least three hours a day of light physical activity’. It appears to be the antidote to the catastrophic effect of sedentary time.”

Graeme Murray