Elderly people can reduce the risk of dementia by up to 40% if they own a dog.

Elderly people who own dogs have a 40% lower risk of dementia than those who do not own this animal, while owning a cat has only a negligible effect.

Seniors keep and care for dogs as a way to maintain their daily exercise routine. (Source: Getty Images)

Above is the announcement of the Tokyo Medical and Geriatric Center, Japan about the results of new research.

The Tokyo government and scientists conducted a survey of 11,194 people aged 65-84 to investigate the rate of people with dementia from 2016-2020.

The study results showed the following difference in risk of developing the disease: If the risk of dementia in people who do not own dogs or cats is 1, then in dog owners it is 0.6 and in cat owners it is 0.98.

Senior scientist Yu Taniguchi of the National Institute for Environmental Studies in Japan - a member of the research team - affirmed that: "Caring for a dog helps people maintain daily exercise habits and have more opportunities to participate in social activities, which can help reduce the risk of dementia."

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/nghien-cuu-moi-nguoi-cao-tuoi-co-the-giam-nguy-co-mat-tri-nho-toi-40-neu-nuoi-cho-252306.html