Health

Women get more benefit from exercise than men, study finds: ‘More to gain’

Published

2 years ago

February 22, 2024

Women get more benefit from exercise than men, study finds: ‘More to gain’

When it comes to reaping the rewards of exercise, women may have a leg up.

A new study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found that females may get more benefits than men when doing the same amount of physical activity.

Researchers from the Smidt Heart Institute at Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles analyzed the physical activity data of 412,413 U.S. adults.

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The participants all responded to the National Health Interview Survey database between 1997 and 2019, providing details about the frequency, duration, intensity and type of physical activity, according to a press release from the hospital.

In terms of cardiovascular exercise, the researchers found that men gained their maximum “survival benefit” from doing “moderate to vigorous aerobic physical activity” for about five hours per week.

Females may get more benefits than men when doing the same amount of physical activity, says a new study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. (iStock)

For women, that same level of benefit was achieved after just 2½ hours of that exercise intensity per week.

Women continued to gain more benefits after that time, however.

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Examples of “moderate to vigorous aerobic physical activity” include brisk walking or cycling, the study detailed.

For strength training exercises, men hit their maximum benefit from three weekly sessions, while women achieved the same outcome with just one session per week.

“We found not only that progressively greater amounts of physical activity reduced mortality risk, but also that the amount of regular exercise needed to achieve the same degree of risk reduction was different in females versus males,” said senior author Susan Cheng, M.D., MPH, director of the Institute for Research on Healthy Aging in the Department of Cardiology in the Smidt Heart Institute.

For strength training exercises, men hit their maximum benefit from three weekly sessions, while women achieved the same outcome with just one session per week. (iStock)

“In effect, women did not need to exercise for as much time as men to achieve the same benefit,” she told Fox News Digital.

“Put another way, for a given amount of time and effort put into exercise, women had more to gain than men.”

Co-lead author Martha Gulati, M.D., director of preventive cardiology in the Department of Cardiology at the Smidt Heart Institute at Cedars-Sinai, noted in the release that women have historically and statistically lagged behind men in engaging in exercise.

“Exercise doesn’t discriminate, no matter your gender. You have to put the work in to be healthy.”

“The beauty of this study is learning that women can get more out of each minute of moderate to vigorous activity than men do,” Gulati said.

“It’s an incentivizing notion that we hope women will take to heart.”

While mortality risk decreased for all adults, it was reduced by 24% for women and 15% for men, according to Cheng.

“We hope that the results of this study will help to motivate females who are not currently engaged in regular physical activity to understand that they are in a position to gain substantial benefit, technically even more than their counterpart males, for each increment of regular exercise they are able to invest in their longer-term health,” Cheng told Fox News Digital.

“Part of what makes females and males different is that when it comes to living longer and living healthier, different types of investments are linked to different types of gains.”

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The researchers hope that these findings will help women who may feel too busy or too intimidated to take on a new exercise routine without feeling that they have to compare themselves to men.

“They can be on their own path to success and every bit of progress will count,” Cheng said.

While mortality risk decreased for all adults, it was reduced by 24% for women and 15% for men, according to the researchers. (iStock)

Chris Pruitt, a certified personal trainer with the American Sports and Fitness Association (ASFA) who is based in Maryland, was not involved in the study but said it aligns with observations that women and men may require different approaches to achieve similar health outcomes.

“In my experience, individual responses to exercise can vary widely, and it’s fascinating to see this backed by research,” he told Fox News Digital.

“Biological differences between genders, including hormonal variations and body composition, likely play a significant role in these observed differences,” Pruitt went on.

“Women may use energy or recover from exercise differently than men, leading to these distinct benefits from less exercise.”

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This research illustrates the importance of personalized fitness programs that consider gender differences, he said.

“It suggests that fitness advice should be more tailored to the individual’s goals and abilities and their gender-specific physiological responses to exercise.”

Potential limitations

The chief limitation of the study is that all physical activity data was self-reported — which creates the possibility for inaccuracies.

“In the future, direct measures of exercise could be analyzed using wearable devices,” Cheng said.

The researchers hope that these findings will help women who may feel too busy or too intimidated to take on a new exercise routine without feeling that they have to compare themselves to men. (iStock)

“A very large study of people whose exercise is digitally tracked and measured could one day give us even more detailed information on differences not only between women and men, but also within women and within men.”

“There is still a lot more work we need to do to figure out how to best tailor exercise recommendations to each individual person to best meet their individual needs.”

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Josh York, founder and CEO of the New York-based fitness training company GYMGUYZ, reviewed the study and said he does not think the findings should influence people’s fitness routines.

“There are a lot of things you need for good health and fitness, including proper nutrition and a healthy lifestyle,” he told Fox News Digital.

“There are a lot of different variables at play when it comes to assessing a person’s exercise needs and requirements.”

As each individual is different, a fitness expert said that “sweeping assumptions” about each gender’s exercise needs and outcomes don’t take into account variations in individuals’ circumstances. (iStock)

While the study looked at maximal survival benefit, York noted that some people might be motivated by other goals, such as looking a certain way.

“At the end of the day, exercise doesn’t discriminate, no matter your gender,” he said. “You have to put the work in to be healthy. If someone puts more work in, has a healthy diet and lives in a safe environment, they are going to get better results, because physical health is influenced by your habits and mental well-being.”

As each individual is different, York said that “sweeping assumptions” about each gender’s exercise needs and outcomes don’t take into account variations in individuals’ circumstances.

“I don’t think people should use this as guidance to reduce their exercise regimens,” he said.

For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health.

Melissa Rudy is health editor and a member of the lifestyle team at Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to melissa.rudy@fox.com.

Health

‘Weight Loss Has Never Been About Calories’: How This Low-Insulin Diet Helped Lillie, 58, Drop 70 Lbs!

Published

7 hours ago

January 9, 2026

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‘Weight Loss Has Never Been About Calories’: How This Low-Insulin Diet Helped Lillie, 58, Drop 70 Lbs!

Low-Insulin Diet Helped Lillie, 58, Drop 70 Lbs, No Calorie Counting! | Woman’s World

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Health

Weight-loss experts predict 5 major treatment changes likely to emerge in 2026

Published

8 hours ago

January 9, 2026

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Weight-loss experts predict 5 major treatment changes likely to emerge in 2026

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Big moves are continuing in the weight loss landscape in the new year following breakthrough research of GLP-1 medications and other methods.

Weight-loss experts spoke with Fox News Digital about their predictions for the most major changes to come in 2026.

No. 1: Shift to whole-body treatment

Dr. Peter Balazs, a hormone and weight loss specialist in New York and New Jersey, shared that the most important shift is likely to label GLP-1 drugs as “multi-system metabolic modulators” rather than “simple weight loss drugs.”

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“The treatment goal is no longer just BMI reduction, but total cardiometabolic risk mitigation, with effects now documented across the liver, heart, kidneys and vasculature,” he said.

“We are seeing a significant reduction in major adverse cardiovascular events … and progression of renal disease,” he went on.

The focus of GLP-1 drugs will widen beyond weight loss and diabetes, according to experts’ predictions. (iStock)

Philip Rabito, M.D., a specialist in endocrinology, weight loss and wellness in New York City, also shared that “exciting” advancements lie ahead for weight-loss drugs, including GLP-1s and GIPs.

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“These next‑generation agents, along with novel combinations that include glucagon and amylin agonists, are demonstrating even more impressive weight‑loss outcomes than currently available therapies, with the potential for better tolerability and sustained results,” he told Fox News Digital.

“There is also tremendous optimism around new federal agreements with manufacturers that aim to make these medications more widely accessible and affordable for the broad population of patients who need them most.”

No. 2: More convenient dosing

The typical prescription for a GLP-1 medication is a weekly injection, but delivery and dosing may be changing to more convenient methods in 2026, according to Balazs.

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A daily 25 mg pill version of Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy, a semaglutide designed to treat obesity, is now approved and available for chronic weight management, offering a non-injectable option for some patients.

A once-weekly oral GLP-1 is currently in phase 2 trials, as well as an implant that aims for three to six months of drug delivery, Balazs noted.

Incisionless weight-loss procedures will rise as a lower-risk option, according to experts. (iStock)

No. 3: Less invasive surgery

In addition to decreased risk during surgery for GLP-1 users, Balazs also predicted that metabolic surgery without incision will rise as a better option.

“Incisionless endoscopic procedures — like endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty (non-surgical weight-loss procedure that makes the stomach smaller from the inside) and duodenal mucosal resurfacing (non-surgical procedure that resets part of the small intestine to help the body better handle blood sugar) — [may become] more durable and widely available,” he said.

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“These offer significant metabolic benefits with shorter recovery and lower risk than traditional surgery.”

Rabito agreed that “rapid progress” in minimally invasive weight‑loss procedures is “opening powerful new options for patients who are hesitant to pursue traditional bariatric surgery.”

Bariatric surgery remains the most effective weight loss method, one specialist says. (iStock)

This avenue offers “meaningful and durable weight reduction with less risk, shorter recovery times and no external incisions,” the expert added.

Dr. Muhammad Ghanem, bariatric surgeon at the Orlando Health Weight Loss & Bariatric Surgery Institute, reiterated that surgery remains “the most successful modality for the treatment of obesity … with the highest weight loss and most durable outcomes as of yet.”

No. 4: Younger GLP-1 users

As Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy has been indicated for adolescents over 12 years old as an obesity treatment, Balazs commented that pediatric use of weight-loss drugs is “now a clinical reality.”

He predicted that other alternatives are likely to be approved in 2026 for younger users.

No. 5: High-tech, personalized access

Amid the growth of artificial intelligence, Balazs predicted an expansion in the clinical implementation of AI-driven weight-loss methods.

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This could include categorizing obesity into sub-types like “hungry brain,” “emotional hunger” and “slow burn” to personalize how therapy is prescribed while moving away from “trial and error,” he said.

Ghanem agreed that there will likely be a “big focus” on individualized testing for causes of obesity in 2026, as it’s a disease that can have “different causes in different people,” thus requiring different treatments.

AI and other digital opportunities will drive more access for weight-loss patients, experts say. (iStock)

The doctor anticipates that more patients will seek combinations of comprehensive treatments and programs.

“Patients are more aware that now we have a few weapons in our arsenal to combat obesity, and [they] are seeking a multidisciplinary and holistic approach,” Ghanem said.

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Treatment options will also turn digital with the rise of prescription digital therapeutics (PDTs) for weight loss, Balazs predicted.

“These are software applications delivering cognitive behavioral therapy, personalized nutrition and metabolic coaching through algorithms, often integrated with continuous glucose monitors, and reimbursed as medical treatments,” he said.

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Ghanem added that body composition analyzers, like DEXA scans, will likely be more widely used as awareness grows about the limitations of BMI and weight in assessing obesity.

Angelica Stabile is a lifestyle reporter for Fox News Digital.

Health

Brain Health Challenge: Doctor Appointments for Your Mind and Body

Published

19 hours ago

January 9, 2026

Press Room

Brain Health Challenge: Doctor Appointments for Your Mind and Body

Congratulations, you’ve reached the final day of the Brain Health Challenge! Today, we’re asking you to do a few things that might feel a bit out of left field — like getting your blood pressure checked.

No, it isn’t as fun as playing Pips, but experts say it’s one of the most important things you can do for your brain. That’s because heart health and brain health are intrinsically linked.

High blood pressure, in particular, can damage brain cells, and it’s a significant risk factor for stroke and dementia. When blood pressure is too high, it places stress on the walls of arteries in the brain. Over time, that added stress can cause the blood vessel walls to thicken, obstructing blood flow. In other cases, the increased pressure causes the artery walls to thin and leak blood into the brain.

These changes to the blood vessels can sometimes cause a large stroke to occur. More commonly, the damage leads to micro-strokes and micro-hemorrhages, which cause fewer immediate problems and often go unnoticed. But if someone has hypertension for years or decades, these injuries can build up, and the person may start to experience cognitive impairment.

High blood pressure “is known as a silent killer for lots of reasons,” said Dr. Shyam Prabhakaran, the chair of neurology at the University of Chicago. “It doesn’t cause you any symptoms until it does.”

Because the damage accumulates over many years, experts say that managing blood pressure in midlife matters most for brain health. Hypertension can be addressed with medication or lifestyle changes, as directed by your doctor. But the first thing you need to do is know your numbers. If your blood pressure comes back higher than 120/80, it’s important to take it seriously, Dr. Prabhakaran said.

While you’re at it, there are a few other aspects of your physical health that you should check on.

Your eyes and ears are two of them. Hearing and vision loss have both been shown to increase the risk of dementia. Experts think that with less sensory information coming in to stimulate the brain, the regions that process hearing and vision can start to atrophy. What’s more, people with sensory loss often withdraw or are left out of social interactions, further depriving them of cognitive stimulation.

Oral health can also affect your brain health. Research has found a connection between regular flossing and reduced odds of having a stroke. That may be because good oral health can help to reduce inflammation in the body. The bacteria that cause gum disease have also been tied to an increased risk of Alzheimer’s.

And have you gotten your shingles vaccine? There is mounting evidence that it’s a powerful weapon for protecting against dementia. One study found that it lowered people’s odds of developing the condition by as much as 20 percent.

To wrap up this challenge, we want you to schedule a few medical appointments that benefit your brain, as well as your body.

After five days of feeding, exercising and challenging your brain, you are well on your way to better cognitive health. Thanks for joining me this week, and keep up the good habits!