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Want to get fit and possibly even boost your longevity? Forget the elevator and take the stairs. A new study of almost half a million people finds that climbing the stairs can reduce the risk of heart disease and help people live longer.
The research presented last week at a European Society of Cardiology conference analyzed nine studies involving people between the ages of 35 and 84 with a range of health histories.
- It finds that people in the habit of climbing stairs have a 39% lower risk of dying from heart disease, compared to those who don’t use the stairs.
- Stair climbing folks also lower their chance of dying from any cause by 24%, as well as reduce the risk of having heart attacks, heart failure and strokes.
- So, how many flights do we need to be walking to get the benefits? According to one of the studies, walking six to 10 flights a day lowers the risk of premature death, and another finds that walking five flights a day cuts the risk of cardiovascular disease by 20%.
“Based on these results, we would encourage people to incorporate stair climbing into their day-to-day lives,” explains study author Dr. Sophie Paddock. “Our study suggested that the more stairs climbed, the greater the benefits — but this needs to be confirmed. So, whether at work, home, or elsewhere, take the stairs.”
Read the story at Stylist