Fitness Science: Gender Differences in Health & Mortality

In 2011, C. Noel Bairey Merz, director of the Women's Heart Center at the Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute, opened her TedTalk to an all-female audience with a startling fact: "One out of two of you women will be impacted by cardiovascular disease in your lifetime." She further emphasized that heart disease is the leading killer among women worldwide. 
 
Despite this alarming reality, public awareness surrounding heart disease in women remains woefully inadequate. Many continue to perceive breast cancer as the primary health threat for women when it is a heart disease that claims one in five lives compared to one in forty due to breast cancer. 
 
The perception gap can partly be attributed to historical bias within medical research and treatment. Until recently, most studies were conducted exclusively on male subjects, resulting in therapeutic strategies focused solely on men’s symptoms and patterns of illness. Consequently, many cases of heart diseases amongst women went undiagnosed or misdiagnosed. 
 
This systemic blindness towards female cardiac patients was so pervasive that Dr. Bernadine Healey coined it 'Yentl Syndrome' after a film where Barbara Streisand had to disguise herself as a man just so she could pursue education—a privilege forbidden for her gender—highlighting how being different from men often meant being second-class throughout history. 
 
Even today less than a quarter participants are females despite them constituting over half the patient population suffering from cardiac conditions which leads them getting misdiagnosed seven times more frequently than their male counterparts because they present non-traditional symptoms like subtle chest pain or none at all making diagnosis difficult and delayed hospital visits twice as likely fatal compared with males' attacks especially if they have pre-existing diabetes doubling risk subsequent ones again relative comparison between sexes shows stark contrast fatty plaques clogging arteries usually rupture explode causing severe sudden discomfort whereas erosion slow gradual process might not cause any major noticeable changes until late stage resulting missed opportunity early intervention prevention treatment thus it's crucial that we understand unique gender based differences in disease manifestation and response to treatment. 
 
In India, the situation mirrors global trends. A 2014 World Health Organization report revealed higher mortality rates due to heart diseases among men than women, but this does not necessarily indicate a lower prevalence of cardiovascular diseases amongst women. Instead, it raises questions about underreporting or misdiagnosis due to a lack of awareness and understanding about female-specific symptoms and manifestations of these conditions. 
 
Despite the grim realities, there is hope, as lifestyle changes can greatly reduce the risk of developing heart diseases for both genders. Improvements in eating habits, physical activity levels, mental health management, and cessation of smoking have all been proven beneficial in preventing heart disease or reversing its progress if already present. 
 
Interestingly enough recent study published Journal American College Cardiology found that females only need half amount exercise gain same survival benefits males achieve with double effort suggesting biological differences between sexes might play role determining how much each needs do stay healthy fit explanation could be larger hearts blood vessels lungs muscles lean body mass men requiring them exert more get results whereas smaller counterparts women require less effort build strength endurance thus even though they may appear physically weaker their bodies are actually quite efficient at utilizing what they have maximizing potential gains from physical activity ultimately leading better overall health outcomes especially when combined other positive changes such as balanced diet good sleep hygiene stress management non-smoking habit. 
 
However, despite these encouraging findings, implementing a consistent active routine remains a challenge for many Indian girls who are often discouraged from being physically active early in their societal and cultural norms and expectations barriers, including physiological and anatomical ones. Puberty onwards, still magic lies in doing little consistently rather than attempting complicated regimens a few days then giving up key. Remember, here small steps taken regularly lead to long-lasting, impactful change towards a healthier, happier life irrespective of one’s gender age. Let us strive to spread awareness and encourage action towards fighting against the silent killer—heart disease—together to make the world a safer place to live and thrive.