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Physicians' Study: Seniors Benefit from Walking with Dogs

Posted by Joe Gargiulo | Thu, May 26, 2016 @ 07:00 AM

Dogs and senior studyA recent study confirms the obvious — dog walking is good for seniors’ health. “Dog Walking, the Human-Animal Bond and Older Adults’ Physical Health” was conducted by researchers at Miami University (Oxford, Ohio) and published in the April issue of The Gerontologist, a publication of The Gerontologist Society of America. The comprehensive work examined “the associations between dog ownership and pet bonding with walking behavior and health outcomes in older adults” while referencing numerous scientific studies in its analysis.

The revelation is great news for seniors and their families as well as the medical industry since physicians often rally around research extolling the health benefits of exercise.

The study stated that dog walking was associated with:

  • Lower body mass index
  • Increased daily living activities
  • Fewer doctor visits

Furthermore, “people with higher degrees of pet bonding were more likely to walk their dog and spend more time walking their dog each time, but they reported walking a shorter distance with their dog than those with weaker pet bonds.” The study underlined the fact that merely owning a dog “was not associated with better physical health or health behaviors."

The study made some interesting observations:

  • Among dog owners, the mean number of dogs owned was 1.60.
  • For the subsample of dog owners who walked their dogs, the mean number of dogs owned was 1.49.
  • They walked their dogs ranging from 1 to 12 times per day for an average of approximately 30 minutes per walk.

“Retirement communities could also be encouraged to incorporate more pet-friendly policies,” stated researchers, “including dog walking trails and dog. These results can provide a basis and an impetus for medical professionals to recommend dog ownership and dog walking to their middle-aged.”

Making such recommendations is part of the holistic approach taken by many of today’s physicians, including advice about diet, exercise, regular exams and lab testing.

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Written by Joe Gargiulo

Marketing Specialist Joe Gargiulo has 25-plus years in marketing, communications and copy writing. As a writer, he enjoys connecting story leads to all aspects of the human experience.