June 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 20

Community Center

Our Dogs, Our Bodies, Ourselves
By Samantha Bartram

he obesity epidemic in the United States sadly is not confined to humans. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association
(AVMA), almost 53 percent of dogs and 58 percent of cats in the
United States are considered overweight or obese. It seems our furry
friends are in as great a need of regular exercise as the almost 70 percent of U.S.
adults diagnosed as overweight or obese.
Where those populations overlap,
however, there is room for healthy
improvements. Experts point to decreased blood pressure and more successful fitness outcomes among dog
owners, versus those without a canine
walking companion. Research published in the Journal of Physical Activity
and Health showed dog owners were
more likely to reach their fitness goals
- meanwhile, researchers at Michigan
State University found that dog owners
are 34 percent more likely to fit in the
recommended 150 minutes of walking
per week than non-dog owners.

Pet Park Prescriptions
Park Prescriptions for humans - the
practice of physicians prescribing
time outdoors, often in local parks,
as therapy for various ailments - is
quickly catching on across the country. Doctors and other public health
providers are taking note that parks
exist in almost every neighborhood,
are largely free to use and already
feature the types of amenities that
get people up and active, like walking and cycling trails. Now, veterinarians are beginning to catch on,
melding existing research like that
cited above with the convenient

availability of local parks. " As a veterinarian, I know that people [aren't
the only ones] grappling with the
consequences of underactivity, such
as diabetes and heart and respiratory disease, " Dr. Joseph Kinnarney, a
mixed-animal practitioner in Reidsville, North Carolina, and president
of the Reidsville Veterinary Hospital, said during his April remarks to
announce AMVA's support of U.S.
Surgeon General Vivek Murthy's
" Step It Up! " campaign. " I see the
results of our sedentary lifestyles
every day in my veterinary patients.
The good news is that by making
small positive changes in our daily
lives - like taking the opportunity
for a short walk with our pets - we
can improve our health together. "
It makes perfect sense that veterinarians would align their patients'
goals with those of Step It Up! - the

Resources
The American Veterinary Medical Association offers several tips and precautions to consider when developing a walking regimen with your dog:
Walking with Your Pet
www.avma.org/public/PetCare/Pages/Walking-with-Your-Pet.aspx
Disease Precautions for Dog Walkers
www.avma.org/KB/Resources/Pages/
disease-precautions-dog-walkers.aspx
Your Pet's Healthy Weight
www.avma.org/public/PetCare/Pages/
yourpetshealthyweight.aspx
More information about the U.S. Surgeon General's Step It Up! Campaign:
www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/calls/
walking-and-walkable-communities

18 Parks & Recreation

| J U N E 2 0 1 6 | W W W. PA R K S A N D R E C R E AT I O N . O R G

June 2016 - Parks & Recreation

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of June 2016 - Parks & Recreation