Is dog walking suitable for physical activity promotion? Investigating the exercise intensity of on-leash dog walking.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Approximately a quarter of the global population is physically inactive, increasing the prevalence of chronic health conditions such as cardiovascular disease. Clearly, a population shift is needed to increase physical activity participation. Given almost half of American and Australian households have at least one dog, dog walking has the potential to increase physical activity. The objective of this study was to characterize the exercise intensity of dog walking using physiological measures to determine whether it achieved a threshold for health-enhancement.

Method

From February 2020 to September 2022, dog owners (aged > 18 years, without impediment to walking) who resided in metropolitan Sydney participated in an on-leash dog walk for a minimum of 20 minutes, w

SUBMITTER: Li C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11002884 | biostudies-literature | 2024 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature