Although exercise is known to protect the heart, it now appears that women may achieve the same reduction in coronary heart disease risk with less exercise than men. New research has revealed something striking about the way men and women benefit from physical activity.
Scientists studied movement data from more than 80,000 adults wearing activity trackers and uncovered a clear pattern: women who exercised for around 250 minutes a week saw their heart-disease risk fall by 30%. Men, however, needed more than double that – about 530 minutes a week, nearly nine hours – to reach the same level of protection.
This difference builds on earlier findings that suggest women’s bodies respond more efficiently to physical activity, yet women are still less likely to meet standard exercise recommendations. Despite this, current NHS guidelines remain the same for both sexes: at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise (or 75 minutes of vigorous activity) each week, plus muscle-strengthening work twice weekly.
The new study argues that it may be time to rethink that “one-size-fits-all” approach. The data shows that women can gain substantial cardiovascular benefits with more attainable amounts of exercise — an encouraging message when we know that one in three women worldwide die from cardiovascular disease.
Researchers examined UK Bio-bank participants who were free of heart disease at the start. Among them, women who reached the recommended 150 minutes of weekly activity had a 22% lower risk of developing coronary heart disease over the next eight years. Men who did the same saw a 17% reduction.
The contrast became even clearer at higher activity levels. While women achieved a 30% reduction at 250 minutes a week, men only reached that point with more than twice the exercise time.
The findings were even more powerful among people who were already living with heart disease. In this group, women who met recommended activity levels had a three-times lower risk of dying during the study period compared with men doing the same amount of exercise.
The researchers emphasise that regular movement benefits everyone, regardless of sex. But they also acknowledge that globally, women are more likely than men to fall short of physical-activity targets. If anything, these results offer reassurance: women can make meaningful improvements to their heart health even with modest changes.
As for why women may respond more strongly to exercise, scientists point to possible biological factors – differences in hormones, muscle structure, and how the body processes sugars. The exact reasons aren’t yet clear.
What is clear is the need to move towards more personalised guidance. Health specialists writing alongside the study echo this, calling for sex-specific strategies that better reflect how men and women differ. When it comes to protecting the heart, the evidence shows that thoughtful, tailored advice could go a long way – and for women especially, a little movement may make a bigger difference than once believed. (Source: theguardian.com)
