According to a recent study, men may need to exercise twice as much as women to achieve the same reduction in coronary heart disease risk.
The researchers of the study analysed physical activity records from more than 80,000 people and found that the risk of cardiovascular disease fell 30% in women who clocked up 250 minutes of exercise each week. In comparison, men needed to reach 530 minutes, or nearly nine hours, a week to experience the same effect.
The study, published in Nature Cardiovascular Research, was based on previous studies that suggested that women benefit more than men from the same amount of exercise but they are generally less physically active and less likely to meet recommended exercise targets.
As per the NHS guidelines, it’s recommended that men and women aged between 16 to 64 complete at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise per week, along with muscle-strengthening activities on at least two days a week.
However, this recent study emphasizes the need for tailored tips for men and women, and highlights the substantial health benefits women can achieve with only moderate amounts of exercise.
Based on statistics, one in three women die of cardiovascular disease. This makes cardiovascular disease the leading cause of death for women globally. In comparison to male individuals, the study suggested that females derive equivalent health benefits with only half the exercise time. Hence, these findings might have the potential to encourage females to engage in physical activity.
Although it is unclear why exercise may benefit women more than men, scientists point to differences in sex hormones, muscle fibres and the ability to break down sugar to produce energy as potential factors. Due to that, the researchers suggested that it is time to embed sex-specific strategies into guidelines and to develop tailored interventions to optimise cardiovascular health for women.
