Dog owners are less at risk of a disability

If you really want a dog and you’re still looking for a valid reason: this is it.

Having a dog as a pet is of course very nice. When you get home, he’s the first one waiting for you at the front door with a wagging tail. In addition, a dog probably makes you laugh regularly. But you don’t just have a dog for fun or fun. Because they are also particularly good for your health, as it turns out.

Study

In a new study published in the journal plOS ONE, scientists investigated the effect of dog or cat ownership among Japanese seniors. The researchers examined completed questionnaires from more than 11,000 older Japanese adults between 65 and 85 years old. In addition, they collected demographic and health data from all participants. A statistical analysis then enabled them to map out possible links between dog ownership and the risk of disability or disability. “The participants were categorized as disabled if they were entitled to long-term care insurance (LTCI) benefits,” study researcher Yu Taniguchi told Scientias.nl from. “Even when they died – from whatever cause – they fell under this heading.”

Physical disability

The researchers come to an interesting conclusion. Because the seniors who owned a dog had a significantly lower risk of a disability than those who had never owned a dog. Moreover, this association persisted even after taking into account other socio-demographic and health factors – such as marital status, experiences with chronic illnesses, time spent outdoors, etc. says Taniguchi. And that, he says, is quite a significant difference. “This can have a major impact on how you age healthily.” Unfortunately, there was no difference in risk for cat owners, the study found.

The results show that having a dog may help you stay healthy for longer. A surprising conclusion? Perhaps a logical one.

Cause

The daily grooming, companionship and exercise that a dog asks of you can all play an important role. “Dog owners are more physically active,” Taniguchi says. “It also has an effect on your social functioning. In this study, we hypothesize that regular physical activity and close social relationships are important variables that reduce the risk of disability.”

cats

Why do cat owners seem to be getting worse? Mainly because of the lack of exercise. “Older dog owners who don’t walk their dogs don’t benefit either,” Taniguchi explains. “Walking dogs is a moderate-intensity physical activity that appears to have a protective effect and reduce the risk of developing a disability. However, cat owners don’t have to take their pet outside for a walk anyway.”

exercise

The results of the study therefore suggest that dog ownership, especially when combined with regular exercise, can protect against disabilities; at least among older Japanese seniors. It shows a way in which you can grow old healthy. Does Taniguchi recommend buying a dog? “In any case, I recommend older adults to exercise regularly,” he says when asked. “And a dog can help hold on to that. However, I understand very well that it is sometimes difficult for the elderly to bring a dog into the house. If people indeed have trouble with that, they can also choose, for example, to walk with a dog-owning neighbor.”

In future research, the scientists hope to further study the physical and psychological mechanisms that lead to the perceived benefits for dog owners. It could also be interesting to investigate the association between dog ownership and disability risk in other countries. But that is still future music. At the moment, the researchers are already satisfied with their results. “We hope our study provides new insights into health promotion for the elderly,” Taniguchi said. “And those insights are of particular importance during the current corona pandemic, when contact with people is limited. Moreover, even during the current pandemic, a dog forces you to get moving every day.”