Take the stairs to live longer and healthier

William Atkins
Wednesday, 03 September 2008 17:53

Science - Health

The researchers concluded that after the twelve-week period the participants showed lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol measurements, and high lung capacity.

In addition, the participants lost weight, reduced their body mass index (BMI), and reduced the size of their waists. Plus, the researchers found that the capacity of the participants to perform aerobic exercise also improved.

Overall, the researchers concluded that the participants reduced their risk of dying prematurely by 15%.

The ESC article concludes “Simply using the stairs instead of taking elevators at work improves fitness, body composition, blood pressure and lipid profiles.”

Dr. Meyer stated, "This suggests that stair climbing can have major public health implications." [BBC News: “Climbing stairs can prolong life”]

Since the study was performed on a small number of subjects, the research team will now conduct a larger study to verify their conclusions.