Regularly climbing stairs is associated with a 39% lower risk of dying from heart disease and a 24% lower risk of dying from any cause, according to a new analysis of five studies involving more than 450,000 people. The findings, published in the American Journal of Cardiovascular Drugs, suggest that choosing stairs over lifts or escalators could also reduce the incidence of heart attacks, heart failure, and stroke.
Study Details and Key Findings
Researchers from the University of East Anglia (UEA) and Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital (NNUH) pooled data from five studies with a combined total of over 450,000 participants. They compared those who regularly climbed stairs with those who did not, adjusting for other factors. The results showed a significant reduction in cardiovascular-related deaths and all-cause mortality among stair climbers.
Dr Sophie Paddock, of UEA’s Norwich Medical School and a cardiology specialist registrar at NNUH, said: “Unlike going to the gym or doing a workout, climbing the stairs is something you can easily fit into your day at home, at work or when you’re out.” She added that it is a good option for people with limited time or access to exercise, and recommended: “If you have the choice of taking the stairs or the lift, go for the stairs as it will help your heart.”
Practical Guidance and Expert Comment
One study included in the review suggests that climbing just six flights of stairs – the equivalent of 60 steps – could be beneficial. Professor Vassilios Vassiliou, of UEA’s Norwich Medical School, highlighted that cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death worldwide, with cases nearly doubling between 1990 and 2019. He noted that it is largely preventable through a healthy lifestyle, including regular physical activity, a heart-healthy diet, not smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, and managing blood pressure, cholesterol, and diabetes. He called stair climbing “a practical and often overlooked way to build physical activity into daily life.”
Broader Health Implications
Juliet Bouverie, chief executive of the Stroke Association, commented: “In the UK, every five minutes someone has a stroke and it is the fourth most common cause of death.” She said the research adds to the understanding of the link between physical health and stroke risk, and that it is encouraging that something as simple as taking the stairs could reduce early death and cardiovascular problems. The Stroke Association continues to emphasise that exercise, alongside a healthy diet, not smoking, monitoring alcohol intake, and regularly checking blood pressure – the single biggest risk factor for stroke – can minimise stroke risk.
