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Forget about walking 10,000 steps a day. Climbing at least 50 stairs every day may significantly reduce your risk of heart disease, according to a new study from Tulane University.
This study atherosclerosis, found that climbing five or more flights of stairs every day may reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease by 20%. Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) is a leading cause of death worldwide, along with coronary artery disease and stroke.
“Brief periods of high-intensity stair climbing are a time-efficient way to improve cardiorespiratory fitness and lipid profile, especially for people who are unable to meet current physical activity recommendations.” , said Dr. Lu Qi, corresponding author of the study, HCA Regents Special Chair, and HCA Regents Chair. Professor, Department of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University. “These findings highlight the potential benefit of stair climbing as a primary preventive measure for ASCVD in the general population.”
The study used data collected from more than 450,000 adults in the UK Biobank to assess participants’ cardiovascular risk based on family history, genetic risk factors, and established risk factors such as high blood pressure and smoking history. The susceptibility to was calculated. Participants were also surveyed about their lifestyle habits and how often they climbed stairs. Median follow-up was 12.5 years.
The study found that climbing more stairs each day specifically reduced the risk of cardiovascular disease in people who are less likely to develop it. However, Mr Chee said the increased risk of heart disease in people who are susceptible to heart disease could be “effectively offset” by climbing stairs every day.
Researchers also found that people who stopped climbing stairs every day during the study had a 32% higher risk of cardiovascular disease than those who never climbed stairs.
Qi promoted public access to the stairs as a low-cost and accessible way to incorporate exercise into daily life.
“This study provides new evidence that stair climbing is protective against ASCVD risk, especially for individuals with multiple ASCVD risk factors,” Qi said.
