Achieving 10,000 steps a day is a popular fitness goal for millions of people.
But experts think other exercise goals may be even more effective when it comes to promoting heart health.
Research shows that climbing just five flights of stairs a day may lower your risk of heart attack and stroke.
But the results of a 10-year study of 400,000 Britons found that the benefits appeared to be even greater for those who managed 10 or more flights.
Climbing stairs, like skipping and aerobics, provides a short, high-intensity workout.
US researchers who studied more than 400,000 British people found that climbing just five flights of stairs a day, or 50 steps, reduced the risk of heart attack and stroke.
People who took 6 to 10 flights a day had a 16% lower risk, people who took 11 to 15 flights a day had a 22% lower risk, and people who took 16 to 20 flights a day had a 23% lower risk. It was low. People who choose elevator or escalator (shown in diagram)
Other examples of such activities, which the NHS recommends people get 75 minutes a week of, include running, swimming and cycling fast.
Scientists at Tulane University monitored the health of 458,860 people in the UK over an average of 12 and a half years.
Participants were asked how often they climbed stairs at the start of the study and again five years later.
During the project period, 39,043 people developed atherosclerosis, a disease in which arteries become narrow and blood cannot flow easily.
The results were published in a magazine atherosclerosisshowed that participants were 3 percent less likely to climb one to five flights of stairs per day. They are more likely to suffer from atherosclerosis than those who do not climb mountains.
Meanwhile, volunteers who climbed at least six flights a day had a 16 percent lower risk.
Researchers concluded that climbing five or more flights of stairs (about 50 steps) is associated with a lower risk of diseases that can cause heart attacks and strokes.
Study author Dr. Lu Qi said, “Brief periods of high-intensity stair climbing are a time-efficient way to improve cardiovascular fitness…particularly for those who are unable to meet current physical activity recommendations. is valid.”
The study results “highlight the potential benefits of stair climbing” as a preventive measure against atherosclerosis, he said.
However, this study was observational and does not mean that climbing stairs reduces participants’ risk of cardiovascular disease. For example, people who climbed stairs may be more physically fit and lead healthier lifestyles.
But the findings add to a wealth of evidence that even mild exercise can help your health.
Dr. Qi pointed out that the stairs are an inexpensive and easy way to incorporate exercise into your daily life.
In addition to promoting heart health, experts say walking up and down the stairs burns twice as many calories as walking and strengthens your lungs and muscles.
He said people who are more susceptible to cardiovascular disease, such as people with a family history of cardiovascular disease or high blood pressure, are at higher risk, but climbing the stairs every day could “effectively offset” the risk. he pointed out.
Approximately 7.6 million Brits and 48 million Americans have cardiovascular disease. Cardiovascular disease is a group of conditions that affect the heart and blood vessels.
This is usually associated with the buildup of fatty deposits in the arteries (atherosclerosis) and an increased risk of blood clots.
This number is expected to rise further due to aging and population growth and improved survival rates from heart and circulatory diseases.
However, health experts believe that cardiovascular disease is largely preventable by living a healthy lifestyle, including smoking cessation, eating a balanced diet, regular exercise, maintaining a healthy weight, and reducing alcohol intake. Those responsible said:
