A groundbreaking new study has revealed that women gain more substantial mortality and cardiovascular benefits from exercise compared to men—and can do so with less time spent working out. This research, published in 2024 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, sheds new light on how physical activity impacts health differently based on sex, prompting calls for women in Thailand and worldwide to make exercise a non-negotiable part of daily life.
The significance of these findings lies in the stark difference in benefit: women can achieve a meaningful reduction in their risk of death with less moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) than men, upending long-held assumptions that the health rewards of exercise are essentially equal for both sexes. As a result, the study’s conclusions may influence future public health recommendations and empower more women—especially in rapidly aging societies like Thailand—to prioritize regular movement for their well-being.
The research drew on health survey data from more than 412,000 American adults aged 27 to 61, with women making up 55% of participants. Data were collected over two decades (1997–2017) through the National Health Interview Survey, which tracks physical activity, socioeconomic status, and medical conditions. Cause-of-death information was then matched from the U.S. National Death Index up to 2019, providing a robust link between exercise habits and mortality outcomes (livescience.com).
Striking patterns emerged from the analysis. Among women who exercised for at least 150 minutes per week—the amount commonly recommended for adults—the risk of death from any cause dropped by up to 24% compared to inactive women. For men meeting the same guideline, the mortality risk reduction reached only 15%. Importantly, women achieved the same level of benefit that men earned with 300 minutes of weekly activity after just 140 minutes, illustrating how each minute of activity may be even more impactful for female physiology.
Strength training followed a similar trend. Women who engaged in muscle-strengthening exercises at least twice a week experienced a 19% lower risk of death, with those benefits extending even further to cardiovascular mortality: an impressive 30% reduction. For men, the corresponding figures were 11% all-cause mortality reduction and 11% reduction in cardiovascular mortality—meaning women’s cardiovascular systems were particularly receptive to these gains.
Study co-lead author, the director of preventive cardiology at a major U.S. heart institute, commented, “The beauty of this study is learning that women can get more out of each minute of moderate to vigorous activity than men do,” encouraging women everywhere to use this knowledge as motivation to overcome exercise barriers (livescience.com). This line of research echoes findings from a 2011 meta-analysis in the journal Circulation, which also reported a stronger link between exercise and reduced death risk in women compared to men (Circulation).
Why do women benefit more per minute of exercise? Physiologically, some researchers propose women may respond differently at the cardiovascular and metabolic levels to aerobic and strength training, possibly due to hormonal, muscular, or genetic factors. Thailand’s leading public health researchers suggest that cultural and access barriers to women’s exercise—common in both urban and rural regions—may have obscured these advantages until now, since a smaller proportion of women have historically engaged in leisure-time physical activity compared with men.
In the Thai context, these findings are especially relevant amid rising rates of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) such as heart disease, hypertension, and diabetes, which disproportionately affect both older women and men in the kingdom (World Health Organization Thailand). According to national surveys, less than half of Thai adults meet the global physical activity recommendations, with urbanized women citing safety concerns, lack of time, or social expectations as barriers to increasing their activity. The new study may help reframe movement not as a luxury, but as a highly efficient necessity for women’s long-term health and survival.
Moreover, this research highlights the need for Thai health policies to deliver exercise opportunities that fit real women’s lives. The Ministry of Public Health, along with local hospitals and community centers, has already begun promoting group aerobics, walking clubs, and free-access gyms in public parks—a nod to the value of collective exercise that is also culturally compatible in many Thai communities (Bangkok Post). As strength training’s benefits for women become clearer, expanding access to equipment, instructional classes, and inclusive fitness programming will be essential.
Some limitations should temper over-interpretation of the study. Exercise data were self-reported, possibly leading to over- or under-estimation of actual activity. Furthermore, only leisure-time exercise was measured—exercise during work or household chores, which are especially significant in Thai society, was not included. Pre-existing health conditions and changes in behavior over time could also influence the results.
Nonetheless, the study’s findings echo real-world trends visible in Thailand. Urban parks are increasingly filled with women-led aerobics groups, and there is growing interest in strength training for all ages. However, experts from Thai health foundations caution that more work remains, especially in rural areas and for low-income groups, where women may still lack access or information about exercise’s importance.
Looking ahead, experts anticipate several future developments. New research will likely explore the biological mechanisms underlying women’s heightened response to exercise, potentially influencing tailored guidelines for different populations. Thai public health officials are expected to update exercise campaigns to place greater emphasis on strength training and community-based cardio for women at all ages. Integrating physical activity promotion into schools, workplaces, and healthcare settings is also poised to deliver wider and more lasting impact.
So, what practical steps can Thai readers take? For women of all backgrounds, the take-home message is clear: strive for at least 140 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous activity and two sessions of strength exercise each week. Activities may include brisk walking, cycling around the neighborhood, dancing to luk thung music, or participating in group aerobic sessions at the local Wat. Men, too, should not neglect regular movement and muscle strengthening to maximize their health and longevity. The new evidence suggests it’s not about the time spent—it’s about making every minute of activity count, especially for women.
For communities and policymakers, the findings highlight the urgent need to break down barriers to women’s participation in exercise, whether that’s through safe urban public spaces, flexible work schedules, or inclusive gym programs. Reducing the burden of NCDs in Thailand will depend on empowering all citizens—but especially women—to take advantage of the life-extending potential of exercise.
For further reading or to view the original study, visit livescience.com.