Climbing the stairs can make you live longer

People should take the stairs if they wish to live longer as studies show that it significantly cuts the risk of passing away from any cause.

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Taking the stairs can make a person live longer
Taking the stairs can make a person live longer

Climbing stairs can help you live longer.

Scientists conducted an analysis of almost 500,000 people aged between 35 and 84 to determine whether taking the stairs can reduce the danger of cardiovascular disease and early death.

The findings - which also included the results of nine previous studies - revealed that stair climbing was linked to a 24 per cent reduced risk of passing away from any cause and a 39 per cent lower risk of cardiovascular disease including heart attack, heart failure and stroke over a period of 14 years.

Dr. Sophie Paddock, from the University of East Anglia, said: "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.

"Based on these results, we would encourage people to incorporate stair climbing into their day-to-day lives.

"Our study suggested that the more stairs climbed, the greater the benefits - but this needs to be confirmed. So, whether at work, home or elsewhere, take the stairs."