London, July 21 (IANS): Dog owners over the age of 65 act and feel 10 years younger than their biological age, says a study.
Having a dog can positively affect an elderly person's mental health too, the study added.
"Our results show that dog ownership is associated with an increased level of physical activity in the over-65s," said Zhiqiang Feng from University of St. Andrews in Britain.
"On average, older dog owners were 12 percent more active than their counterparts who did not own a dog," Feng added.
The study that involved 547 elderly people showed that dog owners were not only more physically active, but their levels of activity were the equivalent of people 10 years younger.
"Our results suggest that dog ownership may motivate personal activity and enable older people to overcome many potential barriers such as lack of social support, inclement weather and concerns over personal safety," Feng said.
The research was published in the journal Preventive Medicine.