A new study has revealed that a simple habit that can be incorporated into the daily routine may have important benefits for heart health.
Regularly climbing stairs has been linked to a reduced risk of death from cardiovascular disease, as well as a reduced risk of death from any cause, compared to using an elevator or escalator.
Researchers from the University of East Anglia in the United Kingdom analyzed data from nine studies involving more than 450,000 people, aged between 35 and 84, with a similar representation of men and women.
During a follow-up period averaging 14 years, researchers found that people who regularly climbed stairs were 39% less likely to die from heart disease than those who did not, and had a 24% lower risk of death from any cause than those who used the elevator.
Dr. Sophie Paddock, a cardiologist involved in the research, said the findings showed a consistent association between climbing stairs and a reduced risk of death from cardiovascular disease and death from any other cause.
She added that climbing stairs is different from going to the gym or setting aside time to exercise, because it is an activity that can be easily integrated into daily life, whether at home, at work or on the go, making it a practical option for people who do not have enough time to exercise.
Paddock explained that choosing between the stairs and the elevator can be a simple opportunity to add physical activity to the day, noting that even short periods of activity can have heart health benefits.
The study did not specify the number of times one should climb stairs to obtain these benefits, as the researchers indicated that more research is needed to determine the optimal level of activity. However, the review cited a large study that found climbing about six flights of stairs daily, equivalent to about 60 steps, may be associated with heart health benefits.
These results are consistent with previous studies on which the research team relied, which found that climbing stairs for a few minutes a day may help reduce some risk factors for heart disease, including high blood pressure.
This is partly because climbing stairs requires the body's muscles to exert more effort than walking on a flat surface, resulting in faster energy consumption and a higher heart rate to provide more oxygen and nutrients to the muscles.
Other muscles also work to maintain the body's balance and uprightness during climbing, which may help to strengthen them and reduce the risk of falling with age.
The studies included in the review used different methods to measure stair use. In some cases, participants were asked to rate their ability to climb several flights of stairs without stopping to rest, while other studies inquired about the number of flights they climbed within a specific time period.
The researchers pointed out that all the studies relied on information provided by the participants themselves and did not directly monitor their use of stairs, which is the most prominent shortcoming of the review. This means that the results show a correlation between activity and a reduced risk of death, but they do not prove on their own that climbing stairs is the direct cause of this.
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