HQ Team
October 2, 2023: Walking more than five flights of stairs a day can cut the risk of heart disease by 20%, according to a study by researchers at the US-based Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine.
Taking 50 steps on the stairs each day could significantly slash your risk of heart disease, according to a study published in Atherosclerosis. Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), coronary artery disease, and stroke are the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide.
“Short bursts of high-intensity stair climbing are a time-efficient way to improve cardiorespiratory fitness and lipid profile, especially among those unable to achieve the current physical activity recommendations,” said co-corresponding author Dr. Lu Qi, professor at the Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine.
“These findings highlight the potential advantages of stair climbing as a primary preventive measure for ASCVD in the general population.”
The study gleaned data of 450,000 adults from the UK Biobank. It calculated participants’ susceptibility to cardiovascular disease based on family history, established risk factors and genetic risk factors and surveyed participants about their lifestyle habits and frequency of stair climbing.
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The median follow-up time was 12.5 years.
The study found that climbing more stairs daily, especially reduced the risk of cardiovascular disease in those who were less susceptible.
Mr Qi said the increased risk of heart disease in more susceptible people could be “effectively offset” by daily stair climbing. The public availability of stairs was a low-cost, accessible way to incorporate exercise into daily routines.
“This study provides novel evidence for the protective effects of stair climbing on the risk of ASCVD, particularly for individuals with multiple ASCVD risk factors,” Mr Qi said.
According to the World Health Organisation, adults require at least 150–300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity or about 75–150 minutes of intense aerobic physical activity a week.
They should also do muscle-strengthening activities at moderate or greater intensity that involve all major muscle groups on 2 or more days a week, as these provide additional health benefits.
In 2018, the World Health Assembly agreed on a global target to reduce physical inactivity by 15% by 2030 and align with the Sustainable Development Goals.
