We already know that regular physical activity is important for disease prevention and reducing the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. And climbing stairs? Is it also physical activity? Does it make a difference to our health? Are there any specific benefits known? To answer this question, researchers from the United Kingdom conducted a clinical study with the main objective of determining the relationship between the number of flights of stairs climbed and the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. For this purpose, they studied 458,860 people, aged between 38 and 73 years. At the beginning of the study and again after 5 years: They obtained information on the number of flights of stairs climbed daily, with 1 flight being, on average, 10 steps; They recorded sociodemographic and lifestyle information; During the entire study period – 12.5 years – participants were monitored for the development of cardiovascular disease, i.e. coronary artery disease and ischemic stroke. The results The main results of the study demonstrated that climbing stairs is associated with a decreased risk of cardiovascular disease . Up to 20 flights of stairs per day, the greater the number of flights of stairs climbed daily, the greater the impact on reducing risk! No matter how small, climbing stairs daily always reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease. And when you go from 1-5 to 6-10 flights of stairs, the reduction in the risk of having cardiovascular disease is more than 5 times greater: it goes from 3% to 16%. The benefit was maximum in individuals who climbed at least 16 flights of stairs per day. Another interesting finding was that participants who became less active during the study period and stopped climbing stairs saw their risk of cardiovascular disease increase by 32%! In conclusion Small and simple choices in everyday life can have a substantial impact on maintaining health in general and preventing cardiovascular disease in particular. Climbing stairs is a simple way to improve physical performance and complement other regular physical activity, which is the cornerstone of maintaining health! And to climb 6 flights of stairs, all you need is to take the stairs to the 3 rd floor just once a day! So, the choice is simple, whenever possible, take the stairs! Your heart thanks you . Author : José Ferreira Santos Source: Song X, Wan L, Wang W, Li Y, Zhao Y, Zhuang Z et al. Daily stair climbing, disease susceptibility, and risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease: A prospective cohort study . Atherosclerosis 2023:117300. Meet the cardiology clinical team from Hospital da Luz network. The content published in the Health Guide is intended for the general public and is provided for informational and educational purposes only. It does not replace individual medical assessment, diagnosis, or personalized clinical advice from a qualified healthcare professional. The content is produced or reviewed by physicians and other healthcare professionals at Hospital da Luz and is based on the knowledge available at the time of publication or the most recent update, as indicated at the beginning of each item.
