Owning a pet has never been so healthy. Having a pet, particularly a dog, can help reduce the risk of heart disease, according to the latest study carried out by the Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Administration Medical Center in Houston (USA) and published by the journal of the American Heart Association .
The research, which aimed to analyze the influence of pets on heart health, involved more than 5,200 adult dog owners and the results revealed that those who walked their pets were 54% better in physical condition than those who did not. they did . In addition, physical activity increased as soon as you adopted a pet, especially in the case of dogs.
“ Not surprisingly, people who walk their dogs are more likely to reach a recommended level of physical activity than those who do not walk with them. Unfortunately, a significant proportion of dog owners do not regularly walk their dogs, ”the study also clarifies.
Do dogs make us healthier? The study does not make clear if this positive consequence is because pets tend to make us more physically active due to having to go for a walk with them or if healthier people are more likely to own pets. The fact is that the data have revealed an improvement in the ratio of cholesterol and triglyceride levels as well as a lower risk of cardiovascular disease in people who own dogs .
