STUDIES
Want to stay up to date on the latest press releases and news about studies related to women's sports? Scroll below to view all women’s sports studies.-
December 1, 2021
How Staying Physically Active May Protect the Aging Brain
Simple activities like walking boost immune cells in the brain that may help to keep memory sharp and even ward off Alzheimer’s disease. NY Times (paywall)
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November 24, 2021
How Exercise Affects Your Appetite
A new study which involved overweight, sedentary men and women and several types of moderate exercise, found that people who worked out did not overeat afterward at an enticing buffet lunch. However, they also did not skip dessert or skimp on portions. The findings offer a reminder during the holidays that while...
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November 22, 2021
Male runners vs. female runners: how do their nutrition needs differ?
Over the last few decades, a lot of research has gone into nutrition and how it affects running performance. Unfortunately, the majority of that research has been done on male subjects and it is only recently that sports scientists have begun looking specifically at the nutritional needs of female athletes. Not...
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November 22, 2021
New research outlines how longer lives are tied to physical activity
A team of evolutionary biologists and biomedical researchers from Harvard are taking a run at it (sometimes literally) in a new study published in PNAS. The work lays out evolutionary and biomedical evidence showing that humans, who evolved to live many decades after they stopped reproducing, also evolved to be...
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November 21, 2021
Are Workout ‘Highs’ Real? Study Finds Cannabis-Like Substances Released After Exercise
New research finds that exercising can increase production of our body’s own cannabis-like substances, which reduce inflammation and could potentially help prevent conditions like arthritis, heart disease, and even cancer. The study, published in the journal Gut Microbes, found that people with arthritis not only experienced reduced pain, but also lowered levels...
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November 17, 2021
300 Minutes a Week of Moderate Exercise May Help Ward Off Cancer
More than 46,000 cancer cases in the United States might be prevented each year if almost all of us walked for about 45 minutes a day, according to an eye-opening new study of inactivity, exercise and malignancies. The study, which analyzed cancer incidence and the physical activity habits of nearly 600,000...
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November 9, 2021
New research shows adding coffee to your post-workout beverage can help you recovery more effectively
A lot of runners drink coffee before they hit the road to give them a boost of energy and improve performance, but a new study suggests that a cup of joe after your workout provides benefits as well. Research published in the journal Nutrients showed that drinking coffee after a hard workout improves muscle...
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November 1, 2021
How Female Athletes’ Nutritional Needs Differ From Men’s
For years there’s been a dearth of scientific research on what female bodies need for optimal performance. Here’s what we now know about how women runners should fuel their bodies differently from men. Podium Runner
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October 27, 2021
The NCAA spends more on men’s sports than women’s, another gender equity report finds
The NCAA spends more on male athletes than female ones on average, especially when it comes to the few championship events seen as the organization's big money makers. The law firm found the NCAA spent $4,285 for men's Division I and national championship participants, excluding basketball. For female participants, the...
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October 22, 2021
Why Am I So Tired After Working Out? It Could Be ‘Exercise Intolerance.’
Medical researchers are learning more about a condition that prevents exercise at levels that should be normal for an individual’s age, size and fitness level. Wall Street Journal
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October 20, 2021
What Scientists Are Learning About Estrogen and Exercise
The study's findings may open intriguing avenues of inquiry into why women so often become inactive after menopause, when estrogen fades. The results also underscore how the brain and internal biological processes work together to play an unexpected and substantial role in whether the body gets up and moves or remains...
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October 18, 2021
Media Outlets, Stop Sexualizing Women in Sports
A study by the Cambridge University Press evaluated the language used to describe men and women athletes across sports media, including written articles and commentary during broadcasts. Researchers found a real disconnect between how men and women are portrayed. Read about these women's experiences on Outside.
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October 11, 2021
Why Women Might Need Different Hydration Advice
The physiological differences between men and women affect how much fluid they store, how they sweat, and how quickly they heat up. Does that matter? Outside
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October 5, 2021
No, Running Doesn’t Wear Down Your Cartilage. It Strengthens Your Joints.
Numerous studies have shown that, contrary to what your sedentary friends may sometimes argue, running does not cause arthritis. New research shows, in fact, that running may actually help strengthen your joints against future wear and tear. Podium Runner
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October 4, 2021
FIFA, Orreco to Study Menstruation’s Impact on Women’s Soccer Player Performance
FIFA is launching a new study on the health and performance of female soccer players in partnership with Western Sydney University and Orreco, a company that analyzes athlete blood tests to recommend recovery and training programs. The study will examine phases of menstrual cycles among professional women’s soccer players through blood and urine...
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September 29, 2021
Study: women’s hearts respond differently to marathon training than men’s
A recent study looking at the differences between male and female marathoners found that women’s hearts actually respond differently than men’s after training for a marathon. Researchers found that women who have completed multiple marathons do not have reduced left ventricle function or aortic stiffness compared to male marathoners or female recreationally...
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September 29, 2021
Why Exercise Is More Important Than Weight Loss for a Longer Life
For better health and a longer life span, exercise is more important than weight loss, especially if you are overweight or obese, according to an interesting new review of the relationships between fitness, weight, heart health and longevity. The study, which analyzed the results of hundreds of previous studies of weight loss...
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September 15, 2021
Why Women are Running Stronger, Longer
As the sport of ultrarunning increases in popularity—according to a large study earlier this year by RunRepeat and the International Association of Ultrarunners, participation has exploded by a factor of more than 16 since 1996—more women than ever are claiming spots at the starting lines. Female athletes now make up...
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September 15, 2021
The New Science on How We Burn Calories
If you take in more calories or energy than you use, you gain weight; if the output is greater than the input, you lose it. But how does that change our understanding of obesity? NY Times
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September 9, 2021
Outdoor brands’ apparel sizes don’t match customer demand, study shows
Outdoor e-commerce brand Cairn analyzed 70,000 data points to prove gear companies are skewing apparel sizes lower than what consumers want and need. Outside
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September 8, 2021
Exercise for 3 Minutes, Every Half-Hour, to Counter the Ill Effects of Sitting
Sitting for hours at a desk can play havoc with our metabolic health, contributing over time to high blood sugar and high cholesterol, even in people who otherwise seem mostly healthy. But a practical though small new study shows that standing up and moving every 30 minutes for about three minutes...
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September 7, 2021
Are Young Female Athletes Taking More Hits to the Head?
Reports of head injuries appeared to have surged in young female athletes over a 19-year period, a researcher reported. The number of female athletes, ages 14-18, who were treated for sports-related concussions and closed-head injuries at U.S. emergency departments (ED) more than tripled, from nearly 10,000 in the year 2000...
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August 26, 2021
New Data From The Fan Project Shows Women’s Sports Have Most Innovative, Committed Fans
Hockey Hall of Famer Anglea Ruggerio and her company partnered with the top women's pro leagues and their consumers to study how fans were engaging with the game. The NWSL and WNBA were the only professional sports leagues in North America to experience increased TV ratings during 2020 amid the...
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August 18, 2021
Gatorade Endurance Survey Finds ‘Safety Concerns’ As Primary Barrier For Minority Entry Into Endurance Sports
CHICAGO, Aug. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Gatorade Endurance released results from a survey* designed to identify and understand the barriers minority athletes (specifically People of Color, Black, LGBTQ+ and Disabled) face when considering participation in endurance sports, and how to overcome these barriers. Among the key findings, safety concerns – i.e., getting injured, hate...
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August 17, 2021
How background music in ads affects consumers
Study participants who were shown the version of a commercial that included music in the background had higher emotional arousal and attention level that those who were shown a version that only included narration. Background music also could lead to increased brand attitude and purchase intention, according to the study...