New Study Shows Exercise Benefits Women More Than Men, According to CNN
Exercise has long been touted as a key component of a healthy lifestyle, but a new study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology suggests that women may reap even greater benefits from physical activity than men. The study, conducted by researchers at the Institute for Research on Healthy Aging in the Smidt Heart Institute at Cedars-Sinai, found that women needed less exercise to gain the same benefits as men.
Dr. Susan Cheng, the senior study author and director of the Institute for Research on Healthy Aging, explained, “Put another way, for a given amount of time and effort put into exercise, women had more to gain than men.” This finding is significant considering that most adults are not meeting the recommended amounts of exercise. According to the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, adults should engage in 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity and two days of muscle-strengthening activity per week.
The study analyzed data from over 400,000 US adults aged 27 to 61 who reported their exercise levels in surveys conducted between 1997 and 2019. The researchers then tracked mortality rates using the National Death Index records. The results showed that women who exercised for at least 150 minutes per week were 24% less likely to die from any cause compared to women who exercised less. Men who met the same exercise threshold had a 15% reduced risk of death.
Furthermore, women who exercised also had a 36% lower risk of experiencing a heart attack, stroke, or other cardiovascular event compared to men with a 14% reduced risk. Interestingly, while men needed 300 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per week to see their biggest reduction in the risk of death, women experienced the same benefit at just 140 minutes per week. Their risk continued to decrease as they increased their exercise duration up to 300 minutes per week.
It is important to note that this study was observational, meaning it can only establish a correlation between exercise and risk for death, not causation. However, the findings align with previous research that has shown differences in the outcomes of exercise for men and women. Dr. Andrew Freeman, director of cardiovascular prevention and wellness at National Jewish Health, emphasized the importance of physical activity as a treatment that is often underutilized and underprioritized by both individuals and healthcare professionals.
“If I said to a patient, ‘hey, I have a medicine that you can take every day that will not only help to prevent heart disease, heart attacks, cancer, memory loss, dementia, but it will improve your mood,’ people would be going nuts for it,” Freeman said. “And the truth is, it exists. It’s just not in a pill form – it’s sweat equity.”
The study’s findings may be attributed to several factors. Dr. Cheng suggested that women may get more bang for their buck when they exercise because they tend to exercise less frequently than men. Additionally, societal norms and historical patterns have traditionally encouraged more physical activity among males, even though there are changing trends. Physiological differences between men and women may also play a role, as studies have shown that women tend to make faster and bigger gains in muscular strength when they work out.
While the exact mechanisms behind these differences remain unclear, the study underscores the importance of personalized medicine and tailoring treatments based on individual characteristics such as sex, size, and ethnicity. The good news is that any exercise is better than none, and even a limited amount can have significant benefits. Dr. Cheng emphasized that people should not view exercise as an all-or-nothing situation but rather find an activity they enjoy and gradually build up their routine.
In conclusion, this study sheds light on the unique benefits of exercise for women and highlights the need for increased physical activity among both men and women. It serves as a reminder that exercise is a powerful tool for improving overall health and well-being, and it should be prioritized as part of a comprehensive approach to preventive healthcare. So, whether you’re a man or a woman, it’s time to lace up those sneakers and start reaping the rewards of regular physical activity.
