We love them for their affection, their soft coat and their pretty face, but dogs could also bring us much more. A study published in BMC Public Health looked at the physical activity of seniors who own a dog or not. Result: our four-legged friends make us walk a lot more.
Researchers at Glasgow Caledonian University and the WALTHAM Center for Companion Animal Nutrition in the UK measured the activity of 43 people over 65 who own a dog, and 43 people of the same age. no pets. The participants wore a sensor during three one-week sessions that recorded the number of steps, the number of hours spent sitting, standing or walking, as well as the number of times they sat.
150 minutes of walking per week thanks to the dog
Dog owners walked an average of 22 minutes more per day, which is 2,760 more steps compared to other volunteers. They also sit shorter each time, although the overall time spent sitting is the same as for people without a dog. Dog-induced physical activity alone already achieves the World Health Organization’s goals of 150 minutes of walking per week.
“Seniors with a dog move more and for longer, which could improve their quality of life, their cognitive abilities and perhaps even their longevity,” enthuses Nancy Gee, co-author of the study. Scientists suggest that health professionals could encourage seniors to take a dog to maintain regular physical activity.
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