Pets and human health-the evidence:

The beneficial effect of pets on general health has often been observed, but it is only recently that proper research has been carried out to establish such a relationship.

The results of this Japanese study are the most recent of several convincing reports.

Some of these have been summarized in an article in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Here are just a fewo f the ig

Pets and health:
An Australian study of 8,000 people showed that pet owners had significantly lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels than people who didn’t have pets.
People who had a heart attack (myocardial infarction) and had a dog were shown to have a 1-year survival rate six times higher than those people who didn’t have a dog.

• An English study showed that people who acquired a pet had a significant decrease in minor health problems within a month of getting the animal. For those who got a dog, the improvement proved to be sustained.

• In the United States, research has shown that, among Medicare patients, those who had pets (especially dogs) visit doctors much less often than those who don’t have pets.

• Other studies showed that the presence of animals, especially dogs, reduced the anxiety of people facing stressful situations, such as dental surgery.

The article quotes the conclusion of two researchers, Alan Beck and Marshall Meyers, who stated unequivocally that “preserving the bond between people and animals, like encouraging good nutrition and exercise, appears to be in the best interests of those concerned with public health”.

Continued in Can owning a pet improve your health? Part 2