Owning a pet – particularly a dog – could help to lower the risk of heart disease, according to a leading specialist.
Professor Glenn Levine, of Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, USA, said that although it is unclear if owning a pet directly reduces the risk of heart disease research found a positive link.
Having reviewed previous studies of the influence of pets, he writes in Circulation online said: “Pet ownership, particularly dog ownership, is probably associated with a decreased risk of heart disease.”
His review found that although pet ownership is probably associated with a reduction in heart disease risk factors and increased survival among patients, the studies are not definitive.
“It may be simply that healthier people are the ones that have pets, not that having a pet actually leads to or causes reduction in cardiovascular risk,” Prof Levine added.
Dog ownership in particular may help reduce heart disease because they take part in more physical activity by taking their pets for a walk. In a study of more than 5,200 adults, dog owners did more walking and physical activity than non-dog owners, and were 54% more likely to get the recommended level of physical activity.
Pets can also help to reduce stress, he said.
“In essence, data suggest that there probably is an association between pet ownership and decreased cardiovascular risk,” Levine said.
“What’s less clear is whether the act of adopting or acquiring a pet could lead to a reduction in cardiovascular risk in those with pre-existing disease. Further research, including better quality studies, is needed to more definitively answer this question.”
However, Prof Levine warned that people should not adopt, rescue or buy a pet solely to reduce the risk of heart disease.
Levine G et al. Pet Ownership and Cardiovascular Risk – A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association. Circulation. May 2013. doi: 10.1161/CIR.0b013e31829201e1
Leave a Reply