Some Women May Not Benefit from Exercise as Easily as Men.
Researchers at the University of Missouri claim that certain exercises that benefit obese men may not benefit obese women. The team found that obese men achieved cardiovascular improvement after aerobic exercise training, while women failed to experience any benefit when measuring heart rate recovery and blood pressure. Researcher Dr. Jill Kanaley adds, “When you exercise, you want your blood pressure to rise, but you don’t want it to get too high. Your blood pressure should return to normal relatively quickly after the end of your workout. In our study, the recovery rate for women was not as rapid as for men. After the men trained, they got an even better recovery time, whereas women’s time stayed about the same.” The research indicates that certain exercises may not be enough for women, and the researchers recommend that healthcare providers keep this in mind when developing targeted exercise interventions for obese women.
Metabolism, April 2012