Taking the stairs instead of the elevator cuts risk of premature death

Choosing to walk up stairs instead of taking the elevator cuts the risk of premature death from any cause by 15%, according to scientists from the University of Geneva in Switzerland.
 
69 members of staff at the university, who led a sedentary lifestyle prior to the study, were asked to use the stairs at work instead of the elevator for the duration of the 12-week-long study. Before the study, participants climbed an average of five flights of stairs per day. During the study this rose to 23 flights of stairs per day.

At the end of the study results showed that participants had less body fat, trimmer waistlines, better lung capacity, and an improved capacity for aerobic exercise. The researchers also report that blood pressure dropped and cholesterol profiles improved.Lead researcher Dr Philippe Meyer, said of the findings: "This suggests that stair climbing can have major public health implications."

Meyer P. The Geneva stair study. European Society of Cardiology Congress 2008. 30th August 2008 – 3rd September 2008, Munich, Germany. http://www.escardio.org/congresses/esc2008/news/pages/geneva-stair-study.aspx