New research from the University of East Anglia and the University Hospital of Norfolk and Norwich suggests that something as simple as choosing stairs could contribute to a longer life.
The large study found that people who climbed stairs regularly had a substantially lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease. People who climbed stairs frequently were 39 percent less likely to die from heart-related causes and 24 percent less likely to die from any cause compared to people who climbed stairs less frequently.
Climbing stairs regularly was also associated with a lower chance of developing serious cardiovascular diseases, such as heart attacks, strokes, and heart failure.
Professor Vassilios Vassiliou, from UEA Norwich Medical School, said: “Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death worldwide, with cases almost doubling between 1990 and 2019. But it is largely preventable through a healthy lifestyle, including regular physical activity, a heart-healthy diet, not smoking, maintaining a healthy weight and controlling blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes.
“Taking the stairs is a practical and often overlooked way to incorporate physical activity into daily life.
“We wanted to better understand how this everyday activity could have the potential to save lives.”
Large study links climbing stairs with lower risk of death
Researchers set out to determine whether regularly climbing stairs could help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and premature death.
The team reviewed nearly 1,900 studies before analyzing data from more than 480,000 people included in nine high-quality studies. Participants were followed for an average of 14 years.
The group included both healthy individuals and people with a history of heart problems. The participants were between 35 and 84 years old and 53% were women.
Dr Sophie Paddock, also from UEA Norwich Medical School and a specialist in cardiology at NNUH, said: “After pooling results from more than 450,000 participants, we found a consistent association between stair climbing and a lower risk of cardiovascular death and overall mortality.
“Unlike going to the gym or working out, climbing stairs is something you can easily incorporate into your daily life at home, at work or when you’re out and about. It’s a good option for people who don’t have a lot of time or easy access to exercise.
“So if you have the option of taking the stairs or the elevator, choose the stairs as it will help your heart.
“Even brief bouts of physical activity have beneficial health impacts, and brief bouts of stair climbing should be an achievable goal to integrate into daily routines.”
Even short bursts of climbing stairs can help
Previous research cited by the researchers found that spending just a few minutes climbing stairs several times a week can improve cardiorespiratory fitness and reduce cholesterol levels.
A large cohort study included in the analysis indicated that climbing about six flights of stairs each day might provide the most benefit. However, researchers say more work is needed to determine the ideal “dose” of climbing stairs.
Dr Paddock said: “Some of the studies we looked at showed that the more stairs you climbed, the greater the health benefits. But even small changes had a measurable impact.”
A simple way to add more physical activity
The results add to growing evidence that even relatively short periods of physical activity can produce significant health benefits.
Professor Vassiliou said: “Given that more than a quarter of adults worldwide do not meet recommended activity levels, choosing to climb stairs offers a realistic and scalable intervention.
“Encouraging people to use stairs in workplaces, public buildings and homes could be part of a broader strategy to reduce cardiovascular disease at the population level.”
Climbing stairs is not suitable for everyone
Despite the potential benefits, researchers note that climbing stairs may not be appropriate for everyone, especially people with mobility limitations or joint conditions.
They also say future studies should use wearable technology to track physical activity more accurately and help determine the most effective amount of stair climbing that can be recommended.
‘Assessment of the impact of stair climbing on cardiovascular risk reduction: a systematic review and meta-analysis’ is published in the journal American Journal of Cardiovascular Drugs.