Men may need to exercise twice as much as women to achieve the same reduction in coronary heart disease risk, according to researchers who analysed data from more than 80,000 people. The study, published in Nature Cardiovascular Research, found that women who exercised for 250 minutes per week saw a 30% lower risk of heart disease, while men needed 530 minutes to achieve the same benefit.
The research, led by Dr Jiajin Chen at Xiamen University in China, used activity tracker data from middle-aged participants in the UK Biobank project. Among those without existing heart disease, women who met the NHS guideline of 150 minutes of weekly exercise had a 22% lower risk of developing heart disease over eight years, compared with a 17% reduction for men.
For participants who already had coronary heart disease, the benefits were even more pronounced. Women who met exercise targets had a three times lower risk of dying during the follow-up period than similarly active men.
The authors suggest that current NHS guidelines, which recommend 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week for both sexes, may need to be revised to account for sex differences. They note that globally, one in three women die from cardiovascular disease, and that women are generally less physically active than men.
While the reasons for the disparity remain unclear, scientists point to differences in sex hormones, muscle fibres, and sugar metabolism as potential factors. Dr Emily Lau, a women's cardiovascular health specialist at Massachusetts General Hospital, said the study 'challenges us to move from conversation to action' and called for sex-specific strategies in health guidelines.
