People taking the stairs instead of elevator at work can expect to live longer, according to a Swiss study released on Monday.

Regularly walking from floor to floor in an office building decreased mortality risk by 15 percent, said Dr. Philippe Meyer, the main author of the study, which was done at the University Hospital of Geneva.

Banning the use of lifts and escalators led to better fitness, less body fat, trimmer waistlines and a drop in blood pressure, the study found.

Using the stairs improves fitness, body composition, blood pressure and lipid profiles, Meyer was quoted as saying by the Swissinfo news website.

"The challenge remains to develop successful population-based interventions, which promote physical activities that can be easily integrated into everyday life," he said.

For the study, 77 employees from Geneva University with a sedentary lifestyle were recruited to take only the stairs over a three-month period, Swissinfo reported.

Results showed an increase in aerobic capacity, a decline in waist circumference, weight, fat mass, blood pressure and cholesterol.

"This suggests that stair climbing can have major public health implications." Meyer said.

Professor Adam Timmis, consultant cardiologist at The London NHS Trust, said: "It's a small study but valuable because it provides a practical way for busy working people to increase their exercise capacity.

"Although the amount of exercise appears small, the benefits were clear in improving physical fitness and reducing body fat and blood pressure."

瑞士周一发布一份研究报告指出,工作时间不乘电梯而是走楼梯的人活得更长久.

该报告的主要作者菲立普'梅厄博士在这份由日内瓦大学附属医院所做的报告中指出,经常在写字楼的各楼层间徒步上下可使死亡风险下降15个百分点.

该研究发现, 避免使用升降机和自动扶梯可以强身健体,减少体脂肪,塑造腰部曲线,还能降低血压.

瑞士资讯网援引梅厄博士的话说,爬楼梯可以增进健康,改善体成分,血压和血脂谱.

梅厄博士指出,"我们面临的挑战是如何成功地建立起一种基于大范围人群的介入方法,从而对那些可以融入日常生活的锻炼方式起到促进作用."

据"瑞士资讯"报道, 日内瓦大学77名长期坐办公室的雇员参与到了这项研究中来,在为期三个月的实验期里楼梯是他们上下楼的唯一途径.

研究结果显示,研究对象的有氧能力增强,腰围缩短,体重,脂肪团,血压和胆固醇均有下降.

梅厄博士说,"这说明爬楼梯对公众健康有着重要意义."

伦敦国民保健基金会的顾问心脏学家亚当.提米思教授认为,"这项研究虽不起眼却很有价值,因为它为忙碌的上班族提高运动量提供了一条切实可行的途径.

"虽然运动量很小,但在改善肌体健康,降低体脂肪和血压等方面效果很明显."