April 29, 2024
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Climbing stairs could reduce the risk of heart attack, heart failure and stroke, according to a new study.
Adding time onto your life may be as simple as taking the stairs, new research suggests.
Climbing stairs was found to be associated with a 24% reduced risk of dying from any cause and a 39% lower likelihood of dying from cardiovascular disease, according to a study presented Friday at ESC Preventive Cardiology 2024 — a scientific congress of the European Society of Cardiology.
"If you have the choice of taking the stairs or the lift, go for the stairs as it will help your heart," study author Sophie Paddock said in a release. "Even brief bursts of physical activity have beneficial health impacts, and short bouts of stair climbing should be an achievable target to integrate into daily routines."
Engaging in regular physical activity is one way to prevent cardiovascular disease. But more than half of adults in the United States don't meet the recommended levels for aerobic physical activity.
The study's researchers set out to investigate whether climbing stairs, a "practical and easily accessible form of physical activity which is often overlooked," could help reduce the risks of cardiovascular disease and premature death.
For the study, researchers in the United Kingdom conducted a meta-analysis involving nine studies involving more than 480,000 participants. The participants' ages ranged from 35-84 years old and 53% of them were women. The study involved healthy participants and those with previous histories of heart attack or peripheral arterial disease.
Along with reduced risks of death, stair climbing was also found to be associated with a reduced risk of getting cardiovascular disease — including heart attack, heart failure and stroke.
The findings have not yet been published in a peer-reviewed journal, and Paddock said the researchers still need to confirm the study's suggestion that more stairs climbed equals greater health benefits. Regardless, she said the results of the study should encourage people to forego elevators or escalators when possible and "incorporate stair climbing into their day-to-day lives."
Why is stair climbing so good for you? Fitness coach James Cunningham told Medical News Today that it challenges the heart and lungs, thereby improving cardiorespiratory fitness, and also is a weight-bearing activity that engages several muscle groups in the legs.
"It’s a form of resistance and cardiovascular exercise rolled into one, working your heart, lungs and muscles simultaneously," Cunningham said. "This dual benefit is likely one of the reasons why it’s associated with longevity.”
As for how many stairs make a difference, studies have found that climbing five flights a day can lower the risk of cardiovascular disease by 20%, while climbing six to 10 flights a day may reduce the risk of premature death. If that sounds difficult, experts say it may be wise to start out with one or two flights of stairs and built up stamina over time.
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