Taking the stairs instead of the elevator could reduce your risk of premature death, according to a Swiss study presented at a meeting of the European Society of Cardiology. During the 12-week study, 69 volunteers were told to use the stairs exclusively instead of taking the elevator while at work. On average, the number of flights of stairs they climbed or descended increased from five a day to 23, BBC News reported. At the end of the study, the participants had better fitness, less body fat, trimmer waistlines, and lower blood pressure. Taken together, the physical benefits of using stairs translated into a 15 percent reduced risk of premature death from any cause, the University of Geneva researchers said. "This suggests that stair climbing can have major public health implications," said lead researcher Dr. Phillippe Meyer, who added that the findings need to be confirmed in larger studies. SOURCES: |
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