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The phrase “workout like your life depends on it” has never been more apt if the results of a new study are anything to go by. Science suggests that women who regularly participate in resistance training such as lifting weights, or even aerobic activity such as brisk walking are adding years to their lives by getting their heart pumping. M&F takes a look.

While physical activity is a no brainer when it co*es to reducing the risk of developing heart disease and diabetes, the fact is that women typically undertake less hours per week exercising than men do, but a new study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology has found that women who workout not only live longer, but receive greater benefits than their male counterparts.

How was the study carried out?

Data was analysed from a sample of more than 400,000 men and women who provided survey information about their leisure-time physical activity levels. The researchers looked at each gender to determine their specific mortality outco*es in context with the amount of exercise that they did.

What were the results?

According to the study, men reached their “maximal#” survival benefit from exercising in a moderate-to-vigorous way for 300 minutes per week, whereas women achieved a similar result from just 140 minutes per week. So, when co*pared with men, women developed less all-cause mortality risk by exercising in less time.

“What surprised us the most was the fact that women who do muscle strengthening had a reduction in their cardiovascular mortality by 30%,” co*mented study author Martha Gulati. “We don’t have many things that reduce mortality in that way.” The study also found that even those women who did more moderate exercise; such as brisk walking, reduced their risk of premature death by 24%, co*pared to 18% for men.

Scientists are hoping that this latest data will not only motivate women to continue with their exercise regimes but perhaps even challenge themselves more. The underlining hope is that more women will be inspired to undertake physical activity now that they know significant health outco*es are readily achievable.