Parents looking for a way to encourage their teenagers to exercise more often may want to consider adopting a dog. A recent study conducted at the University of Virginia indicates that teenagers who have a dog in their home get more regular exercise than their poochless peers, reports The Los Angeles Times.
More than 600 teenagers and their parents responded to a survey concerning the amount of time they spent exercising and how many dogs lived in their home. Additionally, about half of the teenagers who participated wore a device on their wrist that helped measure their physical activity for one week.
Results from the study found that youngsters who lived with canines completed approximately 15 minutes more of moderate-to-vigorous exercise per week than those who did not have a dog in their home. The study will be published in the March issue of the American Journal of Preventative Medicine.
“Children and adolescents may not have the primary responsibility of walking the dog but may actively play with the family dog, thus contributing to their overall minutes engaging in physical activity,” the report says.