Women get more out of every minute of physical activity than men, study finds

Researchers from the American College of Cardiology show that women need fewer weekly sessions of physical activity than men to achieve the same level of health benefits.

Sport increases life expectancy, it is well known, but with similar effort, women benefit more quickly from the benefits of physical activity than men, according to an American study published by the American College of cardiology, in February 2024. It covers 400,000 adults aged 27 to 60 and effectively shows that men and women are not equal in terms of the benefits of sport.

In adults who practice the same dose of regular physical activity, while mortality is reduced on average by 15% in men, it is reduced by 24% in women, who therefore benefit more from each minute of physical activity. accomplished than men. While in men, the maximum benefit in terms of survival is achieved by doing five hours of brisk walking or cycling per week, women obtain the same gain in terms of survival, after only 2.5 hours per week.

Similar results are observed for muscle strengthening. If instead of cycling or brisk walking, men and women start lifting dumbbells, or doing core workouts, again the risk of mortality is reduced in the long term for both sexes, but to a lesser extent. uneven. While men get maximum benefit from muscle building for their life expectancy by doing three sessions per week or more. Women only need one session to achieve this same level of health benefit.

The physiology of organisms

There is undoubtedly an explanation to be sought in the physiology of organisms, suggest researchers from the Cedars Sinai medical center in Los Angeles. The respiratory capacity of women and their muscle mass being statistically lower than those of men, with identical physical effort, the involvement of the body is greater in women, indicate its researchers. So the benefit they get from it too.

The authors hope that these figures will motivate adults in general to do more sport. A third of adults in Europe and the United States are not physically active enough. They do not meet the WHO recommendations which are to practice at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity per week, in other words, at least 2.5 hours of brisk walking, or cycling, for example.