@article{ref1,
title="Associations of pet ownership with biomarkers of ageing: population based cohort study",
journal="BMJ",
year="2017",
author="Batty, G. David and Zaninotto, Paola and Watt, Richard G. and Bell, Steven",
volume="359",
number="",
pages="j5558-j5558",
abstract="OBJECTIVE: To examine the prospective relation between animal companionship and biomarkers of ageing in older people. <br><br>DESIGN: Analyses of data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing, an ongoing, open, prospective cohort study initiated in 2002-03. SETTING: Nationally representative study from England. PARTICIPANTS: 8785 adults (55% women) with a mean age of 67 years (SD 9) at pet ownership assessment in 2010-11 (wave 5). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Established biomarkers of ageing in the domains of physical, immunological, and psychological function, as assessed in 2012-13 (wave 6). <br><br>RESULTS: One third of study members reported pet ownership: 1619 (18%) owned a dog, 1077 (12%) a cat, and 274 (3%) another animal. After adjustment for a range of covariates, there was no evidence of a clear association of any type of pet ownership with walking speed, lung function, chair rise time, grip strength, leg raises, balance, three markers of systemic inflammation, memory, or depressive symptoms. <br><br>CONCLUSION: In this population of older adults, the companionship of creatures great and small seems to essentially confer no relation with standard ageing phenotypes.<br><br>Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0959-535X",
doi="10.1136/bmj.j5558",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmj.j5558"
}