Article

Population strategies to increase physical activity are an essential
part of cardiovascular disease prevention. However, little data exist on
lifestyle interventions that are easy to integrate into everyday life such as
using stairs instead of elevators at the workplace. DESIGN: Pre and
postintervention study. METHODS: A 12-week promotional campaign for stair use
consisting in posters and floor stickers at the point of choice between stairs
and elevators at each hospital floor was organized in a university hospital
building. In 77 selected employees with an inactive lifestyle, physical activity,
aerobic fitness, anthropometrics, blood pressure, lipids, insulin sensitivity,
and C-reactive protein were assessed at baseline, 12 weeks, and 6 months.
RESULTS: During the intervention median daily number of ascended and descended
one-story staircase units was 20.6/day (14.2-28.1) compared with 4.5/day
(1.8-7.2) at baseline (P<0.001). At 12 weeks, estimated maximal aerobic capacity
had increased by 9.2+/-15.1% (P<0.001) corresponding with approximately 1 MET.
There were significant declines in waist circumference (-1.7+/-2.9%), weight
(-0.7+/-2.6%), fat mass (-1.5+/-8.4%), diastolic blood pressure (-1.8+/-8.9%),
and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (-3.0+/-13.5%). At 6 months, the median
daily number of ascended and descended one-story staircase units had decreased to
7.2 (3.5-14.0). Benefits on estimated maximal aerobic capacity (+5.9+/-12.2%,
P=0.001) and fat mass (-1.4+/-8.4%, P=0.038) persisted. CONCLUSION: Encouraging
stair use at work is effective for improving fitness, body composition, blood
pressure, and lipid profile in asymptomatic individuals with an inactive
lifestyle and thus may be a simple way to significantly reduce cardiovascular
disease risk at the population level.

Langue : ANGLAIS