Women Benefit More From Exercises Than Men, Study finds

By: Adebowale Bello, Freelance Health Writer. With medical review and editorial support by the Datelinehealth Africa Team

“Exercise is not just about physical health it's about empowering your mind and spirit.”

These were the words of Jack LaLanne, a famous fitness coach and they sum up the importance of exercise.

Regardless of your age or gender, exercise is important and the varied types of exercises mean that there's something for everyone. It has always been believed that both males and females derive equal amounts of benefits from exercising but new research has shown that females benefit more from exercise when compared to males.

As a female, if you've been contemplating exercising, this is the push you've been waiting for because you're definitely going to experience more benefits as you begin this journey.

The groundbreaking research study which showcased this took place in the United States and had 412,413 participants within the ages of 27 - 61 and this study lasted for 23 years.

33% of women and 43% of men in the study participated in aerobic exercises such as walking, jogging, running and swimming and this resulted in a reduced death risk in both genders, however physically active women were 24% less likely to die while 15% of the men were recorded in the same vein as compared to their counterparts who didn't engage in physical activity.

The research work also showed that exercise duration is an important factor in reducing the risk of death and the study showed that women spent less time working out than men, yet gained equal benefits.

Females needed 150 minutes of working out every week while men required 300 minutes of workout per week to gain a 24% and 18% reduction in death risk respectively.

Going further, the study showed that women who engaged in muscle strengthening exercises such as lifting weights, cycling and pushups experienced a 19% reduction in the risk of heart-related conditions as compared to 11% in males.

Women also didn't need to work as hard at these exercises as their male counterparts as they needed just one workout session while the males needed to complete three workout sessions to achieve these benefits.

When women decided to complete three workout sessions, they experienced double the benefits of a reduced mortality rate as compared to the males.

What does this study mean for you?

As a female, you may have come across athletic looking, well-built people and wondered if that kind of life is for you. Gladly, you don't have to do as much as a man before you can experience the benefits of your exercise.

Setting aside 30 minutes daily for exercising can provide you with major benefits and as you work hard at your exercises, remember that you're reducing your risk of several heart-related diseases that are common to people who do not engage in physical activity.

Source:

Ji H, Gulati M, Huang TY, Kwan AC, Ouyang D, Ebinger JE, Casaletto K, Moreau KL, Skali H, and Cheng S. Sex Differences in Association of Physical Activity With All-Cause and Cardiovascular Mortality. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2024 Feb, 83 (8) 783–793 Available from: https://www.jacc.org/doi/10.1016/j.jacc.2023.12.019

Published: February 29, 2024

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