Stair Instead of Elevator Use at Work: Cardiovascular Primary Preventive Effects on Hospital Employees.

This is an intervention study which evaluates the cardiovascular primary preventive effects of using stairs instead of elevators at the worksite during a 12-weeks period. We hypothesize that stair-climbing during working hours can meet the daily amount of physical activity recommended by current public health guidelines.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age > 18 years
• No or little stair-use at work (< 5 stories/day)
• Sedentary lifestyle

Exclusion Criteria:

• Positive answers to the health screening physical activity readiness questionnaire (PAR-Q)
• Part-time employment < 80%
• Absence of more than 2 weeks during the intervention period
• Intention to begin a weight control program
• Medication changes which may influence blood pressure, lipid or glucose metabolism