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Dog ownership, walking behavior, and maintained mobility in late life
Roland J Thorpe1, Eleanor M Simonsick, Jennifer S Brach
1Department of Medicine, Division of Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Balitmore Maryland 21224, USA. rthorpe3@jhmi.edu
Journal of the American Geriatrics Society
|September 15, 2006
Summary
Dog ownership can encourage walking in older adults, but few owners walk their dogs regularly. Dog walkers maintained a mobility advantage over three years, similar to those who walk frequently without a dog.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Dog ownership is common, but its impact on physical activity in older adults is not fully understood.
- Maintaining mobility is crucial for independence and quality of life in aging populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate dog walking habits among older dog owners.
- To examine the association between dog ownership, walking behavior, and gait speed maintenance over three years.
Main Methods:
- Prospective cohort study with cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses.
- Participants: 2,533 community-dwelling adults aged 71-82.
- Measured: dog ownership, walking behavior, and gait speed over 36 months.
Main Results:
- Only 36% of dog owners walked their dogs at least three times weekly.
- Dog walkers had faster usual and rapid gait speeds compared to non-walkers.
- Dog walkers were twice as likely to meet walking recommendations at follow-up and maintained their mobility advantage.
Conclusions:
- Dog ownership may promote walking, but current adoption by older adults is low.
- The mobility benefits of dog ownership are primarily seen in active dog walkers.
- Further research is needed to explore how dog ownership can increase physical activity in sedentary older adults.
