The latest scoop from an international research collaboration between the U.S. and China suggests that women might just outshine men when it comes to reaping health rewards from regular exercise. Even if they clock in fewer hours at the gym, women who work out regularly seem to enjoy a significantly lower risk of early death or fatal cardiovascular events compared to their male counterparts.
The study, published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, delves into the exercise habits of over 400,000 U.S. adults. The findings reveal that, compared to being couch potatoes, women who engaged in regular physical activity experienced a whopping 24% reduction in mortality risk, while men saw a 15% dip.
When it came to the risk of a fatal cardiovascular event, such as a heart attack or stroke, women who exercised showcased a stellar 36% reduced risk, while men trailed with a 14% reduction. Interestingly, the advantage persisted even when women put in less effort compared to men.
The study also raised questions about the current Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, which prescribe the same exercise requirements for both sexes. Dr. Martha Gulati, a co-author of the study, voiced concerns about this approach, emphasizing the physiological differences between men and women.
Intriguingly, the study found that women seemed to get more health benefits from less exercise. For example, to achieve a maximum 18% lower mortality risk, men had to exercise more than twice as long as women. This led the researchers to suggest that women might benefit from a less-is-more approach to exercise.
The study highlights the well-documented activity gap between men and women, with men generally engaging in more physical activity throughout various life stages. Gulati hopes that these findings will inspire more women to adopt an active lifestyle and debunk the notion that the same dose of exercise is required for both sexes.
Ultimately, the research suggests that women receive greater cardiovascular gains even if they work out less often than men, challenging the conventional wisdom on exercise guidelines for both genders.
