A new study has revealed that having a puppy in the family leads to increased physical activity in young children, especially girls. The discovery is part of a body of research studying how dogs improve health, not just in children, but in people of all ages.
Australian researchers followed about 600 children over a three-year period, starting at preschool age. They tracked the children's physical activity using monitors that measured movement and physical activity, intensity of games, etc.
Half of the children did not have a puppy at home. About 204 children had one before the time of the study, 58 children during the study period and sadly, 31 children lost a dog. This created a natural experiment for researchers to see how having such a pet affected children's activity levels. Perhaps not surprisingly, both genders and girls and boys who participated in the study engaged more often in activities such as walking puppies, playing in the backyard, and this effect was even more pronounced in girls.
"What we found is that adding a dog to the family increased light intensity, physical activity in girls by almost 52 minutes a day, or almost an hour," says Emma Adams, researcher at the Telethon Kids Institute.
Meanwhile, in girls whose puppy died during the study period, activity decreased by 62 minutes per day. It seems that girls are more connected to the animals at home, so engagement in activities with four-legged friends is more pronounced in them than in boys. Girls move more, provide more care, and this has a real impact on their physical and mental health.
Petting puppies can reduce stress in school-aged children, improve cognitive processes and keep them engaged for a long time.
Other studies have found links between getting pets in childhood and a wide range of health and emotional benefits over the years, such as greater self-esteem, improved empathy skills, and reduced anxiety and loneliness.
Of course, dogs are a big responsibility and owning one is not easy for everyone. But for their lovers, welcoming a furry animal into the family brings many benefits.
Suggested Articles:
Source: Npr
