Gaby
Australian researchers assert that having a dog in the family boosts children’s physical activity, particularly among girls. Owning a dog is linked to an increase in daily activity for girls by nearly an hour. The scientists also found that losing a pet dog leads to a decrease in children’s physical activity, with this connection being more pronounced in girls.
How the Study Was Conducted
A team of scientists from the University of Western Australia and the Telethon Kids Institute spent three years observing 600 children aged two to seven. The goal was to study the impact of having a pet dog on children’s physical activity levels. Researchers measured the time spent being active using accelerometers—small devices that participants wore on their hips for seven consecutive days during waking hours. Parents’ perceptions of their children’s activity levels were also taken into account, as reported by the Independent.
Half of the children did not have a dog at any point during the study period. 204 participants had a dog throughout all three years. 58 children got a dog during the study, while 31 lost their dog during this time.
What the Researchers Discovered
The observations revealed that girls who acquired a dog during the study increased their light-intensity daily activity (such as playing or leisurely walking) by 52 minutes. In contrast, girls who lost a dog saw their activity drop by 62 minutes per day. Girls who did not have a pet dog at all showed no changes in their physical activity levels.
Both girls and boys who got a dog during the study increased their so-called unstructured physical activity (playing in the yard, walking in the park, including with the dog) by about seven times a week.
Meanwhile, children who lost a dog reduced their unstructured physical activity. Girls decreased by 10.2 activities per week, while boys decreased by 7.7.
Lead author Emma Adams emphasized that the benefits of dog ownership are evident from early childhood. According to her, having a dog in the family can promote healthy physical activity in children and lower their risk of developing chronic diseases.
Ms. Adams added that researchers are not urging parents to suddenly get a dog, as having a pet comes with many responsibilities for family members, which may not suit everyone. This is particularly relevant for families that already have a pet. They need to leverage this mechanism more effectively to increase children’s activity levels, as not all children with dogs engage in walks and play with them.
The study’s results were published in the International Journal of Behavioural Nutrition and Physical Activity. The team noted that this is the first study to demonstrate the impact of a pet dog on children’s physical activity.
