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Dogs: a mother's best friend for fitness

  30 November 2007

Research from Deakin University, presented at today's People, Pets and Planning conference, shows that the mothers and children in families with dogs spend significantly more time exercising than those in families without dogs.

"Dog ownership has been shown to be associated with increased levels of walking in adults, but until now less had been known about the association with physical activity and children," says researcher Dr Jo Salmon from the School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences.

"This latest research clearly shows that children and mothers in families who own a dog spend significantly more time exercising than those without a dog.  Our findings include:

• Mothers are 70% more likely to meet physical activity recommendations if they own a dog;
• On average, younger girls with a dog performed 29 minutes more exercise than those without a dog; and
• 50% of younger children (aged 5 to 6) and 62% of older children (aged 10 to 12) walk the dog in a typical week.

"We believe the reasons for the increase in physical exercise among families where there is a dog may include the social interaction and sense of safety people feel in being out with their dog," says Dr Salmon.

"Australia has one of the highest rates of pet ownership in the world and many people walk their dog regularly.  Yet it is becoming harder to walk dogs because of the increasing restrictions that are placed on pets in public open space," says town planner Ms Virginia Jackson, who also presented at the conference.

"It is relatively easy for local authorities to integrate pets into the community, thereby reinforcing the benefits communities and individuals experience from pet ownership.  Town planning now provides for a range of community needs and it is important that we do not marginalise pet ownership," says Ms Jackson.

Other presenters at the conference included:

Dr Lisa Wood a research fellow with 17 years experience, who reported on the role pets play in connecting people to their neighbourhoods.

Associate Professor Mardie Townsend, who presented the findings of her research into the health benefits gained when humans spend time with animals in natural settings.

PhD candidate Lauren Prosser who discussed the health and well-being impacts of a visiting companion animal program in a hospital environment.

Fay Gravenall, from the Eltham Recreational Walkers Group who presented on the importance of mixed-use recreational facilities, including parks and walking tracks.

Pet ownership and children's immune function

Children from pet owning families have less school absenteeism through illness, and are more likely to have normal levels of immune function then children from non-owning families.    A new study helps dispel myths about pets, hygiene and children.

Recent medical research has suggested that babies born into pet owning families may derive health benefits through 'priming', via exposure, of the infant's developing immune system. Several studies attest to reductions in risks for developing asthma and other allergies in children brought up with animals in the family home.

A new study by Dr June McNicholas from the University of Warwick in the UK sought to investigate whether children of pet-owning families are more or less 'healthy' than children of non-­pet owning families by examining any discernible differences in levels of salivary immunoglobulin A (slgA) between children of pet owning and non-pet owning house­holds. Salivary immunoglobulin A was selected because of its ease of collection and because it is regarded as an indicator of immune function. 'Health' was also measured in behavioural terms through percentage attendance at school.

Subjects were 265 children aged between 5 and 11 years of age, recruited from three schools in England and Scotland. Pet ownership ranged from 23% in one English school to 39% in one Scottish school. Mean pet ownership rates amongst subjects were approx 30%. Non-pet ownership was not, as far as could be ascertained, due to existing health problem in the families.

Saliva samples were taken from all the children at mid-term for each of the three school terms. These were analysed for levels of slgA and pet owners were compared with non-pet owners on slgA levels and percentage school attendance.

It was found that pet ownership was significantly associated with better attendance rates across all primary/junior classes at school in one Warwickshire school, but was especially evident in lower school classes (ages 5-8 years). Translated into school attendance this difference was up to 18 half-days more school attendance for children aged 7-8 years.

In the other schools, pet ownership was also associated with higher levels of school attendance. Although the number of children achieving 100% attendance was similar amongst pet owners and non-owners, absenteeism through illness was significantly less amongst pet owning children, with children in the first two year levels having 18% and 13% better attendance respectively than non-pet owning children. This amounts to up to 3 weeks extra school attendance in pet owning children aged 5 to ­7 years. There was some variation in attendance rates between winter, spring and summer terms, but overall pet owning children maintained higher levels of school attendance throughout the year.

Examination of salivary immunologobulin levels (slgA) suggests that levels found in pet owning children were more likely to be within normal ranges at all times of testing than were those from non-pet owning children whose levels showed significantly more variability below and above normal range of function.

It appears that the presence of pets in the home has some regulatory or stabilizing influence on the immune functioning of children.

Dog owners walk their way to fitness: study

 Tuesday, April 24, 2007. 

A new study shows dog owners are seven times more likely to achieve the recommended level of exercise a week than non-dog owners.

Pet owners hail positive health findings

by Daniel Bardsley, Staff Reporter, gulfnews.com

Dubai: Dog and cat owners in the United Arab Emirates have hailed research that shows that having a four-legged friend is good for your health. 

Researchers in Northern Ireland have found that people who own dogs on average have lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels. 

Cat owners too are healthier than those without pets, the study from Queen's University, Belfast, found, although the effect is not as strong as with dogs. 

Dr Martin Wyness, who runs the British Veterinary Centre in Abu Dhabi, said there were many health benefits linked to pet ownership, among them lower levels of gastrointestinal disease and various allergies. 

In addition, he said children brought up with pets could be less likely to suffer from asthma and hay fever.  

"If children are exposed to animals or outside dirt, the immune system develops more normally and is stronger. It doesn't respond inappropriately," he said. 

As the authors of the research have suggested, Wyness said it was likely that having a dog was particularly beneficial for health because of the need to take the animal for a walk. 

He added: "Cat owners have benefits too. Having a cat or dog can have a very real effect on blood pressure." 

Jackie Ratcliffe, chairwoman of Dubai-based dog rescue organisation K9 Friends, said she was not surprised to hear of the findings, which were published in the British Journal of Health Psychology. 

"This is why you have 'pat dogs' in hospitals and old people's homes -stroking a dog relaxes you," said Ratcliffe, who has five pet dogs of her own. 

"People can stress you out because of their backstabbing and complaining, but with a dog you don't have that. They love you whatever the situation." 

Cat owner Cristina Dockx, who helps to run Muezza's Feline Friends, a Sharjah-based cat welfare group, said she too had no doubts about the benefits of pet ownership. 

"People who care for dogs and cats have a tendency to relax more, forget about their worries and focus on something else. 

"The good thing is that there is serious research done on this - it is not just someone sitting on their sofa observing their friends," she said. 

She said pet owners 'create a bond' with their animals and that the animals in turn are good at reading the mood of their owners. 

"My cat, when I am stressed or when I cry, will come and lick the tears from my eyes," she said.

http://www.gulfnews.com/nation/Society/10098728.html

Dog-owners 'lead healthier lives'

If you want to live a healthier life get a dog, research suggests.

The companionship offered by many pets is thought to be good for you, but the benefits of owning a dog outstrip those of cat owners, the study says.  A psychologist from Queen's University, Belfast, said dog owners tended to have lower blood pressure and cholesterol.  Writing in the British Journal of Health Psychology, she says that regular 'walkies' may partly explain the difference.

Dogs and photos could hold the key to unlocking memory

27 February 2006

A Monash University study will combine pet therapy with old photographs in an attempt to reduce agitation and improve memory in aged dementia sufferers.

Ms Linda Marston, a research fellow in the Department of Psychology, is investigating whether visits from dogs accompanied by volunteers, combined with conversations inspired by old photographs (a feature of "reminiscence" therapy), could help people with mild to moderate aged dementia.

Reminiscence therapy reinforces the remaining memory function of people with aged dementia.

Studies have also shown that companion animals help facilitate conversation, encourage increased social behaviour and calm aged dementia sufferers following as few as three weeks of bi-weekly visits.

Ms Marston said combining the two approaches would enhance the benefits of reminiscence therapy.

"In dementia sufferers the memories still exist, but cannot be accessed," Ms Marston said. "However, the use of alternative pathways to memory such as pictures, touch, music or scents can unlock those memories. We will be using albums of old photographs to do this, while the interaction with a pet will not only provide tactile stimulation but help maintain a person's focus on the 'here and now', encouraging social interaction and having a calming effect," she said.

The study will use photographs from different time periods to stimulate conversation about life events. Although the photos may not relate directly to the person, the dog handlers, Delta PetPartners, will use them to encourage interaction about fashions, events and other distinctive items in the photos and so get patients talking about similar experiences in their own lives.

The study, being conducted in Sydney nursing homes, aims to maximise the health benefits of organised patient visits by volunteers. If successful, the program could be widely implemented and, because the program is volunteer-based, it would be ensured long-term sustainability and cost-effectiveness for nursing homes.

Old photographs are still being sought for the study, anyone who can provide images from the 1930s, '40s, '50s or '60s should contact Ms Marston on linda.marston@med.monash.edu.au.

For more information contact Ms Diane Squires, Media Communications on +61 3 9905 315 or 0417 603 400. Photographs are available.

Owning a pet is linked to health and wellbeing (November 2005)

Owning a pet is linked to health and wellbeing, particularly for older people and patients recovering from major illness, say researchers in BMJ.

About half of households in the United Kingdom own pets and over 90% of Pet owners regard their pet as a valued family member. Research has suggested that pet ownership is associated with a reduced Risk of heart disease, lower use of family doctor services, and a reduced risk of asthma and allergies in young children.

Although more recent studies have failed to support these findings,  research has pointed to less absenteeism from school through sickness among children who live with pets. Explanations for the association between pet ownership and human health include social benefits and emotional support. Indeed, studies have shown that support from pets may mirror some of the elements of human relationships known to contribute to health.

However, conflict between health and pet ownership can arise, say the authors. For instance, it is thought that up to 70% of pet owners would  disregard advice to get rid of a pet because of allergies , while reports abound of older people avoiding medical care through fear of being admitted to hospital or residential care as this often means giving up a pet.

People do not own pets specifically to enhance their health, rather they value the relationship and the contribution their pet makes to their quality of life. Greater understanding among health professionals is therefore needed to assure people that they do not need to choose between pet ownership and compliance with health advice, they conclude.

Contact:

June McNicholas, Psychologist, Croit Cullach, Dundonnell, Ross-shire,

Scotland

Email: june@cullach.fsnet.co.uk