Overview
- Analysis of accelerometer data from about 85,000 UK adults linked roughly 250 minutes per week of moderate-to-vigorous activity in women to a ~30% lower coronary heart disease risk, compared with about 530 minutes for men to achieve a similar reduction.
- Participants wore wrist devices for seven days and were followed for just under eight years, providing objective activity estimates but only a one-week snapshot of behavior.
- Among people already diagnosed with coronary heart disease, the study estimated women needed around 51 minutes of weekly activity to cut all-cause mortality risk by 30%, whereas men needed about 85 minutes.
- Researchers and commentators point to biological differences, including higher oestrogen levels and a greater proportion of slow-twitch muscle fibers in women, as potential reasons for the differing returns on exercise.
- The findings are observational and based on a healthier-than-average volunteer cohort from UK Biobank, so authors urge replication and trials before revising WHO, AHA or NHS recommendations, noting that more activity benefits everyone.