Taking the stairs one at a time burns more calories than leaping up multiple steps, researchers have said.
Although more energy is initially expended when taking the stairs two steps per stride, over time, more energy is actually burnt up taking the stairs one at a time, researchers from the University of Roehampton said.
The research team found that on average, when climbing five floors of stairs five times a week, 302 kcal would be burnt if taking the stairs one at a time, compared with 260 kcal if taking two steps with every stride.
Dr Lewis Halsey, senior lecturer in comparative and environmental physiology at the university, said: "We were really interested to find out what expended more energy overall - attacking the stairs two at a time and climbing them quickly, or taking them more sedately one step at a time and reaching the top more slowly.
"Our study reported the calories burned ascending stairs, the potential weight loss value of climbing stairs if done regularly and frequently during the week, and also the different energy costs of ascending stairs one step at a time versus two steps at a time.
"And our conclusion: it is better to take the stairs one at a time, if you want to burn the most calories."