Study after study supports the old idea that pet owners live longer. They do! Both dog and cat owners have been shown to have lower incidences of heart disease that those who do not own pets. In the United States, over 60 percent of households have pets and now it has been shown that not only do they provide companionship, they provide health benefits too.
One study conducted by the University of Minnesota’s Stroke Institute followed 4,000 Americans for ten years. The result of the study was the risk of a heart attack was reduced by almost a third when compared with people who did not own a cat. A key point seems to be that the lower levels of stress and anxiety among cat owners leads to a healthier cardiovascular system. Researchers cannot prove that it is the calming effect of owning a cat that lowers the risk for heart attack but the study conclusively showed that the cat owners had a significantly lower risk of fatal heart disease. Studies like this one point out the fact that many people are prevented from having pets due to regulations in apartment buildings.
Another study conducted by the Baker Medical Research Institute in Melbourne, Australia, measured blood pressure and cholesterol levels in pet owners and non-owners. This study found a significant difference in both measures. Men who were pet owners had lower systolic blood pressure and lower cholesterol levels. Women showed the same results. One issue raised in this study was that pet owners, especially dog owners, tend to get more exercise than non-owners. When all other factors including body-mass, smoking, and socioeconomic level were taken into consideration, a significant difference in blood pressure and cholesterol was found based on pet ownership.
An interesting study from 2002 shows that both heart rates and blood pressure increased less when pet owners were asked to solve math problems while their pets were present. The physiological sign of stress were reduced just by the presence of the pets.
These are just a few of the research studies that support the theory that pet ownership can reduce hypertension, reduce cholesterol, increase exercise and provide therapy for those who may suffer from coronary disease.
To Your Heart’s Health
Monique Hawkins
540-858-2885
mentormonique@gmail.com
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