StairWELL to Better Health

Using the stairs requires little additional time, no wardrobe change, and few additional costs because building code requires stairs. If your building has a staircase, why not start using it now?

One of the reasons employees may not use the stairs as work is because they perceive them as unattractive and/or unsafe. CDC's Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity conducted a study beginning in 1998 to see if making physical changes to a stairwell in the Atlanta-based Koger Center Rhodes Building, combined with music and motivational signs would motivate employees to use the stairs. A four-stage passive intervention was implemented over 3½ years that included painting and carpeting, framed artwork, motivational signs, and music. Infrared beams were used to track the number of stair users. "StairWELL to Better Health" was a low-cost intervention (less than $16,000*), and the data suggest that physical improvements, motivational signs, and music can increase stairwell use among building occupants.**

This section will provide the information you need to transform your stairs into StairWELLs for better health. The following topics are addressed in this section:

• Stairwell Appearance
• Motivational Signs
• Installing Music
• Other Ideas to Consider
• Tracking Stair Usage
• Project Checklist
• Related Resources

*This amount included the purchase of paint, carpet, rubber treading, picture frames, artwork, signage and installation of music.

** Kerr, N.A., Yore, M.M., Ham, S.A., & Dietz, W.H. (2004). Increasing Stair Use in a Worksite Through Environmental Changes. American Journal of Health Promotion, 18 (4): 312–315.

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