Simply taking your dog for a walk most days can lead to a longer and healthier life, a study has found.
Researchers discovered that people who regularly get out with a dog had far fewer falls and improved mobility in old age – along with a raft of other benefits compared with those who went out walking simply for exercise.
Falls are the most common reason older people are admitted to hospital – in 2022 alone, injuries from falls hospitalised more than 200,000 over-65s in England.
Just a small tumble can cause an injury which can lead to a loss of independence, often followed by admission to a nursing home and even an earlier death.
Every year about 5,000 people over the age of 75 die from falls.
Researchers at Trinity College Dublin examined medical data from 4,100 over-60s, taken from the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing.
The group was divided into those who walked their dog four or more days a week and those who did not regularly go out with a dog. After two years, those with a dog out were able to get up from a seated position 14 per cent faster on average, as well as being 40 per cent less likely to have a fall.
The dog walkers were also 20 per cent less likely to be afraid of falling – a well-known factor in reducing daily activity that can lead to a lower quality of life.
Researchers discovered that people who regularly get out with a dog had far fewer falls and improved mobility in old age
The dog walkers were 20 per cent less likely to be afraid of falling – a well-known factor in reducing daily activity that can lead to a lower quality of life
After two years, those with a dog out were able to get up from a seated position 14 per cent faster on average, as well as being 40 per cent less likely to have a fall
And while regular walkers without dogs had broadly similar physical activity levels, the dog walkers appeared to get more benefit from it, including increased levels of social interaction and companionship.
Professor Robert Briggs, consultant geriatrician at St James’s Hospital in Dublin and co-author of the research, said: ‘This study demonstrates the potential benefits that regular dog walking can confer on older people.
‘They had significantly better mobility, reduced likelihood of falls and were less likely to develop a fear of falling.
‘While this may be partly due to increased physical activity, it is also likely that increased social interaction, companionship and purpose derived from having a dog also plays an important role.’
