Studies reveal females benefits from an active lifestyle more so than their male counterparts.
Consistent, ongoing exercise is good for all humans. That has been known for quite some time, but recent research is indicating that exercise may possibly be even more important for women than men. That’s not to say that exercise is no longer important for men – it certainly is – but there are reasons to think that female exercise is even more beneficial for overall health and longevity. And, since women generally exercise less than men overall, this news may be encouragement for some to get active and start a regular routine.
It’s important to note from the start that regular exercise does not mean that one has to train for a marathon or enter a weightlifting competition to see meaningful benefits. There are many different ways to be active, and even mild activity is far better than nothing at all. Simply going for walks counts and exercise and can have powerfully positive effects on human health.
This study looked at the results of women who regularly exercise as compared to men doing the same kinds of workouts. Overall, those who exercise regularly have a 24% lower risk of premature death and a 36% lower risk of a fatal cardiovascular event than the male group. That data was gathered by studying over 400,000 U.S. adults in the age range of 27 – 61. This led researchers to the conclusion that women end up getting more out of their exercise time than men, although both groups still benefit greatly from the process of working out.
Interestingly, the results seemed to hold up across various types of workouts. It didn’t matter when the women were engaging in vigorous exercise, moderate aerobic activity, or strength training. All forms of regular exercise were shown to offer excellent outcomes to the women who were studied as part of this report.
The news is always good about exercise. It’s extremely healthy for the human body, and regardless of the details of one type of exercise compared to others, health is always improved when regular activity is part of a person’s schedule.
Despite so much good news to report on the exercise front, it remains true that most people just don’t get enough. Within the study group, just 33% of women exercised enough to be considered as getting weekly aerobic exercise, and just 43% of men met that same standard. The numbers were even worse in regard to strength training, with only 20% of women hitting the mark and 28% of men. More exercise, customized to the needs of the individual, would do wonders for the whole of human health across the country and around the world.
In the end, while the new research indicating that exercise can help women even more than men, it really doesn’t change much about what people should be doing. Simply put, humans are meant to move, and that’s what they should do on a regular basis. Regardless of gender, consistent, regular exercise is excellent for both physical and mental health.
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Women may realize health benefits of regular exercise more than men, study says
Women may get more health benefits from regular exercise than men