30 minutes walking with your dog to lengthen your life

There is no doubt: caring for a pet, and in particular your dog friends, has a beneficial effect on health. In fact, many studies over the last few years have shown that the presence of a quadruped person can improve mood, physical performance and well-being of the circulatory system. And many others have pointed out that these benefits are especially evident in the third age, when Fido becomes an irreplaceable companion for daily training. A new research, conducted in the United Kingdom, confirms all this once again: a 30-minute walk in the company of the dog is enough to significantly increase life expectancy.

The research was conducted by the University College of London: experts monitored the daily habits of a significant sample of 1,000 men, with an average age of 78 years. The participants were equipped with an accelerometer and a fitness tracker to measure their physical time activity. The study was extended over 5 years and, of the initial sample, unfortunately 194 individuals have moved on to better life.

From the data collected, it has emerged that those who practise more physical activity see a lower risk of death for any cause, a fact that is even more evident for dog owners or, again, for those elderly people who care for the garden or garden. In detail, those who engage in mild physical activity for 30 minutes a day reduce their risk of death by 17%. If the movement becomes moderate, the percentage drops by as much as 33%. But that's not all, because even momentary peaks of 10 minutes each can be determinant for health: those that the dog requires, for example, when he's on a leash or running in the designated areas.

For this reason, experts advise the elderly to look after a pet if the psychological conditions permit: one or two walks a day, one in the morning and the other in the evening, could represent a real elixir of long life.