An Osaka Metropolitan University research team performed a cross-sectional study of adults aged 60 and over in Osaka, Japan, to assess physical activity, mental well-being, and loneliness, and tested whether their links with dog ownership differed by household composition and neighborhood environment. The team found that dog owners maintained activity even in low-walkability areas, and that among older adults living alone, dog owners reported lower loneliness than non-owners, demonstrating the place-contingent effects of dog walking and generating hypotheses for age-friendly neighborhood planning.
