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A new study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology offers encouraging news for women who struggle with motivation in the gym. Research suggests women need only half as much the amount of exercise compared to men to achieve similar longevity benefits.
Dr. Martha Gulati, co-author of the study and director of preventive cardiology at Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles, highlighted this positive message for women: “A little goes a long way.”
The study found that men who engaged in approximately 300 minutes of aerobic exercise per week experienced an 18 percent lower risk of death compared to inactive men. However, for women, just 140 minutes of weekly exercise produced an equivalent benefit, with a 24 percent lower risk of mortality for those who reached 300 minutes. Interestingly, the study suggests that the benefits plateaued for both sexes beyond 300 minutes of weekly exercise.
Similar findings emerged when analyzing muscle-strengthening activities such as weight training. Women who participated in just one weekly session appeared to reap the same longevity rewards as men who completed three workouts per week. Dr. Gulati attributed this difference to initial muscle mass. Since women typically have less muscle mass than men, “they may experience greater benefits with smaller doses” of strength training, Dr. Gulati said. Time Magazine. Additionally, other sex-based physiological variations, such as those in the lungs and cardiovascular system, could also play a role.
The researchers reached these conclusions by analyzing self-reported data. exercise data from more than 400,000 American adults who participated in the National Health Interview Survey between 1997 and 2017. This data was then compared to death records, and about 40,000 participants died during the study period.
However, Dr. Ratnakar Rao, HOD – mr. Joint replacement consultant and arthroscopic surgeon at CARE Hospitals, HITEC City, Hyderabad, cautioned that such a claim needs to be approached with caution.
“Longevity is a multifaceted outcome influenced by various factors such as genetics, lifestyle and overall health. Reducing it to a simplistic gender-based equation overlooks the complexities of individual health profiles,” he told indianexpress.com in an interaction.
Dr. Gulati acknowledged the limitations of the study and the need for more research to solidify these findings. However, he highlighted the importance of this study, along with others with similar conclusions. These studies highlight the crucial point that “women are not just smaller men,” he said. Time Magazine. Dr. Gulati argued that public health research and policy must consider these sex-based differences. She emphasizes the historical tendency to use men as a standard, even when it might not be the most accurate approach.
Establish a guide for optimal exercise Improving life expectancy is a nuanced task. While the general recommendation for adults is around 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week, according to Dr. Rao, personalized approaches are vital. A comprehensive routine that includes aerobic activities, strength training, and flexibility exercises comprehensively contributes to well-being.
The key is to adapt these recommendations to individual needs and consult with health professionals for personalized advice based on each person’s health status and goals.