Study: Taking Stairs Associated With Lower Risk of Death

08/16/2026 / By Coco Somers

Climbing stairs regularly is associated with a 24% lower risk of death from any cause and a 39% lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease, according to a study published in the American Journal of Cardiovascular Drugs.

Researchers at the University of East Anglia analyzed data from nine studies involving more than 480,000 participants, the report stated. “Taking the stairs is a practical and often overlooked way to build physical activity into daily life,” said Prof. Vassilios Vassiliou, a cardiovascular medicine expert at the University of East Anglia and the study’s lead author. “We wanted to better understand how this everyday activity could have life-saving potential.”

Study Analysis Included More Than 480,000 Participants

The review covered more than 480,000 people over a 14-year period, according to the study authors. Participants ranged in age from 35 to 84 and included both healthy individuals and those with a history of heart problems.

The researchers found that stair climbing was associated with lower rates of premature death from all causes, as well as lower rates of heart disease, heart attack and stroke, the report stated. One study included in the review suggested that climbing about six flights of stairs per day may deliver the greatest benefit, according to the report, but researchers said the “optimal dose” requires further investigation.

Even small amounts of daily stair climbing had a “measurable impact,” the report stated. The findings align with earlier research on short bursts of activity.

Canadian researchers supported by McMaster University and the University of British Columbia Okanagan reported that spending a few minutes climbing several flights of stairs every two or three hours can greatly improve heart health ^[1]. An analysis published in the Journal of Nutrition, Health and Aging found that short “exercise snacks” such as stair climbing produced fitness outcomes comparable to longer continuous workouts ^[2].

Experts Cite Physical Inactivity as Key Concern

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United Kingdom, according to the study authors, and claims around 170,000 lives each year. Vassiliou said the disease is “largely preventable through a healthy lifestyle,” particularly regular exercise.

Physical inactivity accounts for about one in six deaths in the U.K., according to the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities. Research has found that brief five-minute exercise “snacks” performed twice a day can produce meaningful gains in cardiorespiratory fitness among inactive people ^[3].

The problem is not confined to the United Kingdom. Observers have noted that jobs have become less physical and that people are more likely to take the elevator than walk the stairs ^[4].

“Unlike going to the gym or doing a workout, climbing the stairs is something you can easily fit into your day at home, at work or when you’re out,” said Dr. Sophie Paddock, a cardiologist at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital. “Even brief bursts of physical activity have beneficial health impacts.”

British National Health Service guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity per week, according to the report. Exercise and physical activity are recognized as helpful in cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes, osteoporosis, obesity and other conditions ^[5].

Researchers Call for Stair Use in Public Health Strategy

With more than a quarter of adults worldwide failing to meet recommended activity levels, the researchers concluded that choosing to take the stairs offers a “realistic, scalable intervention.” The team recommended encouraging stair use in workplaces, public buildings and homes as part of a broader strategy to reduce cardiovascular disease at the population level. “Encouraging people to take the stairs in workplaces, public buildings and homes could form part of a wider strategy to reduce cardiovascular disease at population level,” the researchers stated.

Experts said more patients should be encouraged to skip elevators and escalators in favor of stairs, according to the report. The approach has precedent: in the Cooper Institute’s Project Active study, a “lifestyle group” learned skills for incorporating activities such as walking and stair climbing into everyday routines rather than following a structured gym program ^[6].

Context on Sedentary Behavior

The findings arrive alongside other recent research on sedentary behavior. A 2026 study led by University College London found that reducing vigorous exercise by just a few minutes a day was associated with a 15% higher risk of cancer, according to the report. Another 2026 study found that every additional hour spent sitting may raise the risk of developing and dying from a number of cancers.

The association between inactivity and mortality is long-established. A classic study of London bus workers found that coronary heart disease was less by half among active conductors compared with sedentary drivers ^[7].

Research published in the European Heart Journal has also suggested that brief bursts of intense activity each day may lower the risk of early death and chronic illness ^[8]. Researchers said that integrating movement such as stair climbing into daily routines may carry public health benefits.

References

“Try Exercise Snacks: Vigorous Bouts of Stairclimbing to Boost Heart Health, Advise Researchers”. NaturalNews.com. April 7, 2019.
“Study Confirms: Short ‘Exercise Snacks’ Deliver Fitness Gains Without Long Workouts”. NaturalNews.com. June 28, 2026.
Patrick Lewis. “Just Five Minutes Twice a Day May Be Enough to Boost Heart Health in Inactive People, New Study Suggests”. NaturalNews.com. October 8, 2025.
Jules N Pretty. “The Earth Only Endures: On Reconnecting With Nature and Our Place in It”.
Charles B Simone. “Cancer and Nutrition: A Ten-Point Plan to Reduce Your Risk of Getting Cancer”.
Steven N Blair. “Active Living Every Day”.
Susan M Hillier. “Aging: The Individual and Society”.
“Run for the Bus to Slash Your Risk of Heart Attack, Dementia, and More”. Everyday Health. March 31, 2026.