Having a dog may help kids be more physically active

Thinking about getting a dog? Researchers say dogs can help boost kids’ physical activity levels – especially among young girls.

To help the researchers chart the impacts of both dog ownership and loss, 600 kids between ages 2-7 wore small activity-measuring devices on their hip for seven days. The devices showed how much time the kids spent on screens and were physically active or sedentary.

Girls whose families adopted a dog during the study increased their light physical intensity and participation in games by 52 minutes a day. In contrast, those whose dogs died saw a decrease in activities by 62 minutes a day.

Of the kids who lost their dog, girls saw a reduction in unstructured physical activity by 10.2 sessions a week, while boys experienced 7.7 fewer sessions a week.

“Our findings indicate that having a dog in the family could help promote healthy movement behaviors in children and reduce their short- and long-term risk of chronic disease,” said lead researcher Emma Adams, of the Telethon Kids Institute at the University of Western Australia. “Regular physical activity from an early age is essential for children’s physical and mental health and development.”

The study was published online in the International Journal of Behavior, Nutrition and Physical Activity.