Population Health Intervention Research Centre, Calgary Institute of Population and Public Health, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
BMC Public Health. 2011 Mar 4;11:148. doi: 10.1186/1471-2458-11-148.
In general dog-owners are more physically active than non-owners, however; it is not known whether dog-ownership can influence seasonal fluctuations in physical activity. This study examines whether dog-ownership influences summer and winter patterns of neighbourhood-based walking among adults living in Calgary, Canada.
A cohort of adults, randomly sampled from the Calgary metropolitan area, completed postal surveys in winter and summer 2008. Both winter and summer versions of the survey included questions on dog-ownership, walking for recreation, and walking for transportation in residential neighbourhoods. Participation in neighbourhood-based walking was compared, among dog-owners and non-owners, and in summer and winter, using general linear modeling. Stability of participation in neighbourhood-based walking across summer and winter among dog-owners and non-owners was also assessed, using logistic regression.
A total of 428 participants participated in the study, of whom 115 indicated owning dogs at the time of both surveys. Dog-owners reported more walking for recreation in their neighbourhoods than did non-owners, both in summer and in winter. Dog-owners were also more likely than non-owners to report participation in walking for recreation in their neighbourhoods, in summer as well as in winter. Dog-owners and non-owners did not differ in the amount of walking that they reported for transportation, either in summer or in winter.
By acting as cues for physical activity, dogs may help their owners remain active across seasons. Policies and programs related to dog-ownership and dog-walking, such as dog-supportive housing and dog-supportive parks, may assist in enhancing population health by promoting physical activity.
一般来说，养狗的人比不养狗的人更活跃，但目前还不清楚养狗是否会影响身体活动的季节性波动。本研究旨在探讨养狗是否会影响居住在加拿大卡尔加里的成年人夏季和冬季在社区内散步的模式。
从卡尔加里大都市区随机抽取的成年人队列在 2008 年冬季和夏季完成了邮寄调查。冬季和夏季的调查问卷均包括养狗、娱乐性散步和在居住社区内散步出行的问题。使用一般线性模型比较养狗者和非养狗者在夏季和冬季的社区散步情况，采用逻辑回归评估养狗者和非养狗者在夏季和冬季的社区散步参与情况的稳定性。
共有 428 名参与者参与了这项研究，其中 115 人在两次调查时都表示拥有狗。养狗者报告在夏季和冬季在其社区内进行的娱乐性散步比非养狗者多。夏季和冬季，养狗者比非养狗者更有可能报告在其社区内进行娱乐性散步。无论是在夏季还是冬季，养狗者和非养狗者在社区内散步出行的数量都没有差异。
狗可能作为身体活动的提示，帮助其主人在不同季节保持活跃。与养狗和遛狗相关的政策和计划，如支持养狗的住房和支持养狗的公园，通过促进身体活动，可能有助于提高人口健康水平。
