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Stair Climbing Cuts Heart Death Risk, Study Finds

A meta-analysis of nine studies involving more than 480,000 adults has found that people who habitually climb stairs have a 39% lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease and a 24% lower risk of death from any cause, compared with people who climb stairs less often. The research, led by Dr Sophie Paddock and Professor Vassilios Vassiliou of the University of East Anglia's Norwich Medical School with Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, was published in full in the American Journal of Cardiovascular Drugs on 13 August 2026. The pooled analysis followed participants aged 35 to 84 for a median of 14 years and also found that habitual stair climbers were less likely to have a heart attack, stroke or heart failure. The findings update an earlier version of the same meta-analysis, first presented at a European Society of Cardiology conference in 2024, which used eight studies and reported somewhat smaller reductions of 35% and 30% respectively.

Why the updated numbers matter

The peer-reviewed version adds a ninth study, taking the combined sample past 480,000 participants and firming up the earlier conference estimate. Some of the individual studies suggested the benefit grew with the number of stairs climbed, though the researchers said the optimal amount is still unclear and called for further work using wearable activity trackers to measure it more precisely. "Taking the stairs is a practical and often overlooked way to build physical activity into daily life," Vassiliou said, while Paddock noted it is "a good option for people who don't have much time or easy access to exercise." Because a meta-analysis combines observational studies, it cannot prove that stair climbing itself causes the lower death rates, and the authors noted the approach may not suit people with mobility issues or joint conditions. Neither the conference abstract nor the published article disclosed a funding source.

What this means for your health routine

This is a study about physical activity rather than a supplement, and the researchers present stair climbing as a low-cost way to add movement to an ordinary day, not a replacement for other exercise advice. It is a reminder that staying well is not only about what is in the cupboard: households reviewing what they spend on prevention can browse the wider health and wellness range alongside changes to daily routine that cost nothing at all.

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This article reports published news and research and is for information only. Food supplements are not a substitute for a varied diet or medical care, and no product mentioned is intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Speak to your GP or pharmacist before changing what you take, especially if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or taking prescribed medicines.

Sources

Originally reported by Medical Xpress. This article has been reviewed by Dr Tosin.

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