Getting 10,000 steps a day is a popular fitness goal for millions of people.
But a different workout goal could be even more effective when it comes to improving heart health, experts think.
Research suggests that climbing just five flights of stairs a day can lower your risk of heart attacks and strokes.
Yet the benefits seemed even greater for people who managed ten or more flights, according to the results of a ten-year study of 400,000 Britons.
Climbing stairs provides a short burst of high-intensity exercise, in the same way as jumping or aerobics.
US researchers who studied more than 400,000 Britons found that climbing just five flights of stairs a day – or 50 steps – lowers their risk of heart attacks and strokes
Those who climbed six to 10 flights per day had a 16 percent lower risk, people who made 11 to 15 flights had a 22 percent lower risk and those who climbed 16 to 20 had a 23 percent lower risk, compared to those who opted for lifts. or escalators (shown in graph)
Other examples of such activities – which the NHS recommends we spend 75 minutes a week doing – include running, swimming and fast cycling.
Scientists from Tulane University monitored the health of 458,860 people in Great Britain for an average of twelve and a half years.
Participants were asked how often they climbed stairs at the start of the study and again five years later.
Over the course of the project, 39,043 developed atherosclerosis, where the arteries become narrowed, making it difficult for blood to flow through them.
The results, published in the journal AtherosclerosisResearch showed that participants who climbed one to five flights of stairs per day had three percent fewer climbs likely to suffer from atherosclerosis, compared to those who did not climb one.
Meanwhile, volunteers who climbed at least six flights a day had a 16 percent lower risk.
The researchers concluded that climbing more than five flights of stairs – about fifty steps – was associated with a lower risk of the disease, which can lead to heart attacks and strokes.
Dr. Lu Qi, author of the study, said: ‘Short bursts of high-intensity stair climbing are a time-saving way to improve cardiorespiratory fitness… especially among those unable to meet current physical activity recommendations.’
The findings “highlight the potential benefits of stair climbing” as a preventative measure against atherosclerosis, he said.
However, the study was observational and does not mean that climbing stairs reduced the risk of cardiovascular disease in participants. For example, those who took the stairs may have been more physically fit and lived a healthier lifestyle.
But the findings add to a wealth of evidence that even small bouts of exercise can boost health.
Dr. Qi noted that stairs are a cheap and easy way to incorporate exercise into daily routines.
Experts say that climbing stairs not only promotes heart health, but also burns twice as many calories as walking and strengthens the lungs and muscles.
He noted that an increased risk of cardiovascular disease in those who are more susceptible – such as people with a family history of the disease or who have high blood pressure – could “effectively” offset their risk by climbing stairs daily.
Around 7.6 million Britons and 48 million Americans suffer from cardiovascular disease, which is the general term for a range of conditions that affect the heart or blood vessels.
It is usually related to a build-up of fatty deposits in the arteries (atherosclerosis) and an increased risk of blood clots.
The figures are expected to rise as a result of the aging and growing population and improved survival rates for cardiovascular diseases.
However, cardiovascular disease can be largely prevented by leading a healthy lifestyle, such as quitting smoking, eating a balanced diet, exercising regularly, maintaining a healthy weight and drinking less alcohol, health chiefs say.