Taking the stairs more often could cut your risk of an early death, according to a study. Research involving almost half a million people found that avoiding the lift was linked to a lower risk of major cardiovascular conditions such as heart attacks and strokes.
People who regularly climbed stairs were 39% less likely to die from heart problems and 24% less likely to die from any cause during the study, compared to those who did not climb stairs often.
Life-saving potential of a simple habit
Study author Professor Vassilios Vassiliou, from the University of East Anglia (UEA), said taking the stairs was “a practical and often overlooked way to build physical activity into daily life”. He added: “Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death worldwide, with cases nearly doubling between 1990 and 2019. But 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.
“We wanted to better understand how this everyday activity could have life-saving potential. A simple, everyday activity like taking the stairs — which is cheap and can be incorporated into many people’s schedules — is associated with substantially lower cardiovascular death [risk].”
Encouraging stair use in daily life
The researchers noted that stairs might not be suitable for people with mobility issues or health conditions, including joint problems. But Prof Vassiliou said encouraging people to take the stairs when possible in workplaces, public buildings and homes “could form part of a wider strategy to reduce cardiovascular disease at the population level”. He added: “With more than a quarter of adults worldwide failing to meet recommended activity levels, choosing to take the stairs offers a realistic, scalable intervention.”
Dr Azeem Majeed, Express health columnist and a professor of primary care and public health at Imperial College London, said even small amounts of exercise incorporated into daily routines could add up. He added: “The key message of the paper is that physical activity doesn't always need to involve going to the gym or setting aside a large amount of time.
“Taking the stairs rather than the lift is one simple way for people to build more physical activity into everyday life. The same principle applies to other small habits, such as walking on short journeys rather than driving.”
Study details and limitations
The study, which was also conducted by researchers at Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital (NNUH), analysed data from five previous studies involving more than 450,000 people. This included both healthy participants and those with a previous history of heart problems. Ages ranged from 35 to 84 years old.
The research was observational, so it could not prove that walking up the stairs caused the lower risk of heart problems, but it did show an association. The authors noted that some studies adjusted for the effects of overall physical activity levels, while others did not. This means some of the suggested impact of stair climbing may have been because people who choose to take the stairs are generally healthier. However, Prof Vassiliou said stair climbing still appeared to have a positive effect in the studies that accounted for exercise.
Dr Sophie Paddock, also from UEA’s Norwich Medical School and a cardiology specialist registrar at the NNUH, said: “After pooling results from over 450,000 participants, we found a consistent association between stair climbing and lower risk of both cardiovascular death and overall mortality.
“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. It's a good option for people who don't have much time or easy access to exercise. So if you have the choice of taking the stairs or the lift, go for the stairs as it will help your heart.
“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.”
One study included in the review suggests climbing six flights of stairs — the equivalent of 60 steps — per day may deliver the greatest benefits.
Prof Vassiliou added: “If you’re not at the moment climbing the stairs or doing any physical activity, even if you start to climb one set or two, that would be a lot more helpful than not doing anything.
“It seems that the more stairs you climb, the better, but even a minimal amount is beneficial. Whilst we would love to see more people climbing stairs, this should not be considered to be used in isolation.
“Healthy nutrition, other physical activity, stopping smoking, and having an optimal weight are all important and all of them add up.”
Expert reactions and recommendations
Regina Giblin, senior cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation, said: “This large-scale study backs up what we know about how important regular exercise is to prevent cardiovascular disease and help people live longer, healthier lives.
“People who already take the stairs should absolutely maintain this habit, as it is already strengthening their heart and lungs and helping to lengthen their lives.
“Choosing stairs instead of the lift is a simple habit to get into, and all goes towards the recommended weekly total of 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise per week. Moderate exercise is when you feel warm and comfortably breathless.”
Juliet Bouverie, chief executive of the Stroke Association, said: “This research adds to our growing understanding of the link between physical health and stroke risk. It is encouraging that something as simple as taking the stairs could reduce the risk of early death and may also be linked to fewer cardiovascular health problems, including strokes.
“We continue to remind people that as a preventative measure, exercise alongside a healthy diet, not smoking and monitoring alcohol intake can minimise the chances of having a stroke. Regularly monitoring blood pressure, the single biggest risk factor for stroke, is also important.”
The findings were published in the American Journal of Cardiovascular Drugs.
