Climb the stairs to increase your lifespan

When we have a choice between taking the elevator or the stairs, let it be known, we rarely go for the second option. However, climbing a few degrees each day may allow us to live longer. Scientists from the University of East Anglia (United Kingdom) announced this during the scientific congress of the European Society of Cardiologists in Athens on April 26.

The researchers conducted a meta-analysis based on the results of nine studies involving a total of 480,479 participants between the ages of 35 and 84. They included healthy people and others with a history of heart attack or artery disease. The researchers therefore wanted to find out whether stair climbing could reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and premature death.

Reducing the risk of death

Results? “Climbing stairs is associated with a 24% increased risk of death from any cause and a 39% increased risk of dying from cardiovascular disease,” the European Society of Cardiology said in a press release. Physical activity also reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases such as heart attack, heart failure and stroke.

These findings once again demonstrate the beneficial effects of short-term physical activity on health. This is why the World Health Organization recommends, for example, 5,000 to 6,000 steps per day. “Muscles capture glucose and fat for energy, preventing them from accumulating around the heart, liver and pancreas,” explained Martin Duclos, sports physician and president of the National Observatory on Physical Activity and Sedentary Lifestyles. Onaps), in the previous article.

That’s why study author Dr. Sophie Paddock encourages everyone who can to integrate stair climbing into their daily lives. “Our research suggests that the more degrees you climb, the greater the benefits, but that has yet to be confirmed,” he told the conference. To prove it, all we have to do is make it our new habit.