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News Releases
Walk a Hound, Lose a Pound
Columbia, Mo. (May 23, 2007) - During the past 20 years there has been a dramatic increase in obesity in the United States. Even in children and teens, weight is on the rise. In fact, the last report from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey found approximately 14% of children and 12% of teens are overweight. According to the Department of Health and Human Services, the more overweight a person is, the more likely the person is going to have health problems. And one of the health problems obesity contributes to is osteoarthritis.
"Despite enormous health benefits, less than one-third of adults engage in recommended levels of physical activity," says Rebecca A. Johnson, director of the Research Center for Human Animal Interaction, MU College of Veterinary Medicine. "Physical activity is especially important for people with chronic illnesses to maintain functioning and independence."
Osteoarthritis is a serious disease. And according to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, although arthritis is more common in older people, younger people can develop it.
Studies show that if a person is overweight or obese, reducing body weight by 5 to 10 percent can improve one's health. MU College of Veterinary Medicine has paired with the City of Columbia, Mo., Columbia Parks and Recreation Department, PedNet, Happy Tails Animal Sanctuary, Second Chance Animal Sanctuary, and the Mid-Missouri Humane Society to promote better health in families by encouraging exercise.
The program consists of Saturday community dog-walks. The "Walk a Hound, Lose a Pound," encourages adults and families with children to walk shelter dogs on community trails in the park.
"In the Walk a Hound program, people will have the opportunity to walk shelter dogs, providing physical activity for both ends of the leash," says Johnson.
It's always a good idea to exercise. Choosing activities the entire family will enjoy encourages better health. A community dog walking project increases physical activity among children and adults, educates the public about the health benefits of walking, increases community awareness about dogs available for adoption, and increases shelter dog adoption rates.
For more information on Walk a Hound, Lose a Pound programs, visit http://www.rechai.missouri.edu.
The Missouri Arthritis Research Rehabilitation and Training Center (MARRTC) was established in 1971 at the University of Missouri-Columbia Arthritis Center. MARRTC is funded by the U.S. Department of Education's National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (H133B031120) and is the only federally funded arthritis rehabilitation research and training center in the country.
As part of the MU Health Communication Research Center (HCRC), MARRTC's mission is to become a national leader in the areas of disability management and communication, improve the quality of life and promote independent living among people who have arthritis and arthritic conditions. MARRTC's core message is "Disability is everyone's issue."
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