{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,3]],"date-time":"2026-05-03T07:19:38Z","timestamp":1777792778790,"version":"3.51.4"},"reference-count":22,"publisher":"Oxford University Press (OUP)","issue":"4","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,1,11]],"date-time":"2025-01-11T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1736553600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":[],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2025,3,7]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title>\n               <jats:sec>\n                  <jats:title>Background<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>It has been suggested that dog walking may protect against falls and mobility problems in later life, but little work to date has examined this. The aim of this study was to assess if regular dog walking was associated with reduced likelihood of falls, fear of falling, and mobility problems in a large cohort of community-dwelling older people.<\/jats:p>\n               <\/jats:sec>\n               <jats:sec>\n                  <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>Participants \u226560 years at Wave 5 of The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing were included. Regular dog walking was \u22654 days\/week by self-report. The control group consisted of participants who did not own a dog or who did not regularly walk their dog. Falls and fear of falling were self-reported. Mobility was measured with Timed-Up-and-Go (TUG). Logistic regression models assessed associations between regular dog walking and outcomes of interest.<\/jats:p>\n               <\/jats:sec>\n               <jats:sec>\n                  <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>Regular dog walkers (629\/4\u00a0161, 15%) had a significantly faster TUG (10.3 (10.1\u201310.5) versus 11.7 (11.1\u201312.2) seconds, t\u2005=\u20052.11, p\u2005=\u2005.0343) and a lower likelihood of unexplained falls (OR 0.60 (0.38\u20130.96; p\u2005=\u2005.034), fear of falling (OR 0.79 (95% CI 0.64\u2013.98); p\u2005=\u2005.032), and mobility problems (0.64 (0.45\u20130.91); p\u2005=\u2005.015) in fully adjusted models. Regular dog walking was also associated with a significantly lower likelihood of fear of falling (OR 0.79 (95% CI 0.64\u20130.98); p\u2005=\u2005.032).<\/jats:p>\n               <\/jats:sec>\n               <jats:sec>\n                  <jats:title>Discussion<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>This study demonstrates a significantly lower prevalence of mobility impairment, falls, and fear of falling among community-dwelling older people who regularly walk their dogs. Although longitudinal and dedicated studies are required, older people should be encouraged to continue regular dog walking where feasible, as it may help in maintaining mobility and reducing falls.<\/jats:p>\n               <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1093\/gerona\/glaf010","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,1,11]],"date-time":"2025-01-11T16:15:48Z","timestamp":1736612148000},"source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":3,"title":["The Association of Regular Dog Walking With Mobility, Falls, and Fear of Falling in Later Life"],"prefix":"10.1093","volume":"80","author":[{"given":"Eleanor","family":"Gallagher","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Mercer\u2019s Institute of Successful Ageing, St James\u2019s Hospital , Dublin,","place":["Ireland"]},{"name":"Discipline of Medical Gerontology, Trinity College Dublin , Dublin,","place":["Ireland"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Amanda","family":"Lavan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Mercer\u2019s Institute of Successful Ageing, St James\u2019s Hospital , Dublin,","place":["Ireland"]},{"name":"Discipline of Medical Gerontology, Trinity College Dublin , Dublin,","place":["Ireland"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Rose Anne","family":"Kenny","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Discipline of Medical Gerontology, Trinity College Dublin , Dublin,","place":["Ireland"]},{"name":"The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing, Trinity College Dublin , Dublin,","place":["Ireland"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9585-2692","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Robert","family":"Briggs","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Discipline of Medical Gerontology, Trinity College Dublin , Dublin,","place":["Ireland"]},{"name":"The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing, Trinity College Dublin , Dublin,","place":["Ireland"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"286","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,1,11]]},"reference":[{"issue":"12","key":"2025032119221019800_CIT0001","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2065","DOI":"10.1016\/j.injury.2011.12.001","article-title":"Unintentional falls mortality among elderly in the United States: time for action","volume":"43","author":"Alamgir","year":"2012","journal-title":"Injury."},{"issue":"6","key":"2025032119221019800_CIT0002","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1159","DOI":"10.1007\/s41999-021-00536-x","article-title":"Trends in emergency department use by older people during the COVID-19 pandemic","volume":"12","author":"Howley","year":"2021","journal-title":"Eur Geriatr Med"},{"issue":"18","key":"2025032119221019800_CIT0003","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1279","DOI":"10.1056\/NEJM199710303371806","article-title":"Falls, injuries due to falls, and the risk of admission to a nursing home","volume":"337","author":"Tinetti","year":"1997","journal-title":"N Engl J Med."},{"issue":"3","key":"2025032119221019800_CIT0004","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"afac058","DOI":"10.1093\/ageing\/afac058","article-title":"Longitudinal associations between falls and future risk of cognitive decline, the Motoric Cognitive Risk syndrome and dementia: the Einstein Ageing Study","volume":"51","author":"Jayakody","year":"2022","journal-title":"Age Ageing."},{"issue":"26","key":"2025032119221019800_CIT0005","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e26492","DOI":"10.1097\/MD.0000000000026492","article-title":"The relationship between falling and fear of falling among community-dwelling elderly","volume":"100","author":"Chen","year":"2021","journal-title":"Medicine (Baltim)."},{"issue":"2","key":"2025032119221019800_CIT0006","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"299","DOI":"10.1016\/j.pmr.2009.12.006","article-title":"Physical activity, disability, and quality of life in older adults","volume":"21","author":"Motl RW","year":"2010","journal-title":"Phys Med Rehabil Clin N Am."},{"issue":"3","key":"2025032119221019800_CIT0007","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"375","DOI":"10.1037\/0278-6133.26.3.375","article-title":"Long-term follow-up of physical activity behavior in older adults","volume":"26","author":"McAuley","year":"2007","journal-title":"Health Psychol."},{"issue":"1","key":"2025032119221019800_CIT0008","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"144","DOI":"10.1186\/s12966-020-01041-3","article-title":"Evidence on physical activity and falls prevention for people aged 65+ years: systematic review to inform the WHO guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour","volume":"17","author":"Sherrington","year":"2020","journal-title":"Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act"},{"issue":"12","key":"2025032119221019800_CIT0009","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2529","DOI":"10.1016\/j.apmr.2013.06.013","article-title":"What is the relation between fear of falling and physical activity in older adults","volume":"94","author":"Hornyak","year":"2013","journal-title":"Arch Phys Med Rehabil."},{"key":"2025032119221019800_CIT0010","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"83","DOI":"10.1186\/1479-5868-11-83","article-title":"How might we increase physical activity through dog walking? A comprehensive review of dog walking correlates","volume":"11","author":"Westgarth","year":"2014","journal-title":"Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act"},{"issue":"2","key":"2025032119221019800_CIT0011","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"131","DOI":"10.1016\/j.amepre.2005.10.007","article-title":"Relationships among dog ownership and leisure-time walking in Western Canadian adults","volume":"30","author":"Brown","year":"2006","journal-title":"Am J Prev Med."},{"issue":"5","key":"2025032119221019800_CIT0012","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1398","DOI":"10.1093\/ije\/dyy163","article-title":"Cohort profile update: The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA)","volume":"47","author":"Donoghue","year":"2018","journal-title":"Int J Epidemiol."},{"issue":"2","key":"2025032119221019800_CIT0013","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"142","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1532-5415.1991.tb01616.x","article-title":"The timed \u201cUp & Go\u201d: a test of basic functional mobility for frail elderly persons","volume":"39","author":"Podsiadlo","year":"1991","journal-title":"J Am Geriatr Soc."},{"issue":"4","key":"2025032119221019800_CIT0014","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"344","DOI":"10.1177\/1479972316647178","article-title":"Measurement properties of the Timed Up & Go test in patients with COPD","volume":"13","author":"Mesquita","year":"2016","journal-title":"Chron Respir Dis."},{"issue":"3","key":"2025032119221019800_CIT0015","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"414","DOI":"10.1123\/jpah.9.3.414","article-title":"Dog walking is associated with a favorable risk profile independent of moderate to high volume of physical activity","volume":"9","author":"Lentino","year":"2012","journal-title":"J Phys Act Health."},{"issue":"1","key":"2025032119221019800_CIT0016","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"496","DOI":"10.1186\/s12889-017-4422-5","article-title":"The influence of dog ownership on objective measures of free-living physical activity and sedentary behaviour in community-dwelling older adults: a longitudinal case-controlled study","volume":"17","author":"Dall","year":"2017","journal-title":"BMC Public Health"},{"issue":"1","key":"2025032119221019800_CIT0017","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"15821","DOI":"10.1038\/s41598-017-16118-6","article-title":"Dog ownership and the risk of cardiovascular disease and death\u2014a nationwide cohort study","volume":"7","author":"Mubanga","year":"2017","journal-title":"Sci Rep."},{"key":"2025032119221019800_CIT0018","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"75","DOI":"10.1016\/j.healthplace.2013.03.007","article-title":"Dog-walking and sense of community in neighborhoods: implications for promoting regular physical activity in adults 50 years and older","volume":"22","author":"Toohey","year":"2013","journal-title":"Health Place"},{"issue":"12","key":"2025032119221019800_CIT0019","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1706","DOI":"10.1177\/0733464820953725","article-title":"Neighborhood engagement, dogs, and life satisfaction in older adulthood","volume":"40","author":"Curl","year":"2021","journal-title":"J Appl Gerontol."},{"issue":"7","key":"2025032119221019800_CIT0020","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1852","DOI":"10.3390\/ani11071852","article-title":"Dog walking and the social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on loneliness in older adults","volume":"11","author":"Carr","year":"2021","journal-title":"Animals (Basel)."},{"issue":"9","key":"2025032119221019800_CIT0021","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1419","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1532-5415.2006.00856.x","article-title":"Health, aging and body composition study. dog ownership, walking behavior, and maintained mobility in late life","volume":"54","author":"Thorpe","year":"2006","journal-title":"J Am Geriatr Soc."},{"issue":"1","key":"2025032119221019800_CIT0022","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"igac080","DOI":"10.1093\/geroni\/igac080","article-title":"Pet ownership and maintenance of physical function in older adults-evidence from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (BLSA)","volume":"7","author":"Friedmann","year":"2022","journal-title":"Innov. Aging."}],"container-title":["The Journals of Gerontology, Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/biomedgerontology\/advance-article-pdf\/doi\/10.1093\/gerona\/glaf010\/61414929\/glaf010.pdf","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"am","intended-application":"syndication"},{"URL":"https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/biomedgerontology\/article-pdf\/80\/4\/glaf010\/61414929\/glaf010.pdf","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"syndication"},{"URL":"https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/biomedgerontology\/article-pdf\/80\/4\/glaf010\/61414929\/glaf010.pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,3,23]],"date-time":"2025-03-23T08:56:55Z","timestamp":1742720215000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/biomedgerontology\/article\/doi\/10.1093\/gerona\/glaf010\/7951863"}},"subtitle":[],"editor":[{"given":"Lewis A","family":"Lipsitz","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"(Medical Sciences Section)"}],"role":[{"role":"editor","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2025,1,11]]},"references-count":22,"journal-issue":{"issue":"4","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2025,3,7]]}},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1093\/gerona\/glaf010","relation":{},"ISSN":["1079-5006","1758-535X"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1079-5006","type":"print"},{"value":"1758-535X","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published-other":{"date-parts":[[2025,4]]},"published":{"date-parts":[[2025,1,11]]},"article-number":"glaf010"}}