With longer lives comes the challenge of achieving healthy aging, often defined as staying disease- and disability-free for as long as possible.

Frailty prevention has thus become a key focus for promoting successful aging. Among various strategies, pet ownership, particularly of dogs, has emerged as a potential contributor to maintaining health and functionality in later years.

Pets, Activity, and Social Bonds
Dog ownership may reduce the risk of disability, partly because dog owners tend to be more physically active and socially engaged.

Walking a dog provides moderate exercise, decreases frailty and help older adults maintain daily functions. Recent studies have found that older dog owners who exercise regularly are at significantly lower risk of developing disabilities. Furthermore, the companionship provided by pets can counter feelings of isolation.

However, not all studies agree on these benefits, with some finding no significant link between pet ownership and health outcomes. This inconsistency is investigated in the study below.

The study
A large-scale study conducted in Tokyo, Japan, followed over 11,000 adults aged 65 to 84 for 3.5 years. Researchers analyzed participants based on whether they currently owned, previously owned, or had never owned pets.

They used comprehensive data from Japan’s long-term care insurance system and local death registries to evaluate disability onset and mortality rates. During the follow-up period, 17.1% suffered the onset of disability, and 5.2% died.

Findings revealed that current dog owners had a notably lower rate of disability onset compared to those who had never owned pets. Additionally, dog owners who exercised regularly had an even greater reduction in disability risk.

While social interaction with neighbors did not show significant added benefits for dog owners, the study suggests that the companionship of a pet can provide emotional support, potentially substituting for human interaction.

Gaps and Future Directions
Interestingly, this study did not find a clear link between pet ownership and reduced mortality risk. While some earlier research suggested that dog ownership lowers cardiovascular and overall mortality risks, other large-scale reviews have disputed these claims.

This study underscores the potential role of dog ownership in supporting healthy aging. Daily care and companionship from a pet, combined with the exercise benefits of walking a dog, could become valuable elements of health promotion strategies for older adults.

Future research should also examine psychological factors, such as how pet ownership improves mental well-being, which in turn may influence physical health.

About the scientific paper:

First author: Yu Taniguchi, Japan
Published in: PLoS One, February 2022
Link to paper: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0263791