@article{ref1,
title="Physical activity, weight status, and neighborhood characteristics of dog walkers",
journal="Preventive medicine",
year="2008",
author="Conway, Terry L. and Rosenberg, Dori E. and Coleman, Karen J. and Cain, K. and Frank, Lawrence D. and Saelens, Brian E. and Sallis, James F.",
volume="47",
number="3",
pages="309-312",
abstract="OBJECTIVE: This study examined how demographics, physical activity, weight status, and neighborhood characteristics varied among households with and without dogs. METHOD: Participants aged 20 to 65 years (n=2199, 52% male, 75% white, mean age=45) were recruited from 32 neighborhoods in the Seattle, WA and Baltimore, MD regions during 2002-2005. Dog ownership, dog walking, education, height, weight, and family income were self-reported. Minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) were measured objectively by 7-day accelerometry. RESULTS: Dog walking was associated with a higher proportion of participants who met national recommendations for MVPA (53%) when compared to those who had but did not walk their dog (33%) and to non-dog owners (46%). There were significantly fewer obese dog walkers (17%) when compared to both owners who did not walk their dogs (28%) and non-owners (22%). Dog owners who walked their dogs were more likely to live in high-walkable neighborhoods when compared to dog owners who did not walk their dogs. CONCLUSION: Dog walking may promote physical activity and contribute to weight control. Dog walking appears to be a mechanism by which residents of high-walkable neighborhoods obtain their physical activity.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0091-7435",
doi="10.1016/j.ypmed.2008.05.007",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2008.05.007"
}