Men need to exercise more than women to lower heart risk, says study

A new study suggests that men may need nearly twice as much exercise as women to achieve the same reduction in their risk of coronary heart disease.

Researchers analyzing data from over 80,000 adults found that women who exercised for 250 minutes a week reduced their risk of heart disease by 30%, while men needed approximately 530 minutes weekly—nearly nine hours—to achieve the same benefit.

Further analysis showed that among over 5,000 participants who already had coronary heart disease, women who met weekly exercise goals were three times less likely to die during the study period than similarly active men.

Experts say the study’s results highlight the need for sex-specific health guidelines.

Globally, 1 in 3 women die from cardiovascular disease. While both sexes benefit from regular exercise, researchers hope the study will encourage more women to engage in physical activity.