Taking the stairs instead of the lift could save your life...

Taking the stairs at work instead of the lift could save your life, researchers say. 

They found that banning the use of lifts and escalators led to better fitness, less body fat and a drop in blood pressure. 

The effect was equivalent to a 15 per cent cut in the risk of dying prematurely from any cause. 

Project leader Professor Philippe Meyer said: 'This suggests that stair-climbing at work may have major public health implications. 

'It underlines the importance of architectural design and convenient placement of stairwells to help people make healthy choices.' 

Researchers from the University Hospital of Geneva recruited 77 colleagues at the hospital whose lifestyle was defined as sedentary - meaning they did less than two hours exercise or sport each week, and less than ten flights of stair-climbing a day. More...

See also:

• Why does a black man living in Washington D.C. die younger than a man in India?
• Drinking your way to better artery health...
• Does red wine slow down the ageing process?
• Giving up milk and dairy products results in better health...