Let's take the stairs!

Walking up 5 or more flights of stairs a day can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by 20%, according to a study conducted at Tulane University (New Orleans). 50 steps exactly, concludes the study published in the journal Atherosclerosis. https://www.atherosclerosis-journal.com/article/S0021-9150(23)05221-8/fulltext

The study analyzed UK Biobank data collected from 450,000 adults, followed for over 12 years. From this data, researchers calculated participants' cardiovascular susceptibility based on family history, established risk factors and genetic risk factors.

Participants were also asked about their lifestyle habits and frequency of stair climbing. The analysis revealed that climbing more stairs daily particularly reduced the risk of cardiovascular disease.

The increased risk of heart disease in the most "susceptible" individuals could be "effectively offset" by daily stair climbing. Climbing stairs is an effective, accessible and inexpensive way of integrating physical activity into daily routines and thus reducing cardiovascular risk.