The aim of this study was to examine the association between pet ownership and blood pressure (BP) in children. This study builds on previous research indicating that the incidence of high BP in children is on the rise. This study also addresses concern about an established connection between high BP in children and hypertension in adults.
A total of 9354 children, ages 5 – 17, participated in this study. The children were recruited from elementary and middle schools in the urban areas of Seven Northeastern Cities in China. A team of four trained nurses completed the BP readings on all the children. They also took weight and height measurements. Additional family information was collected by way of a parent survey. This information included family history of hypertension, smoking in the home, use of coal for heating or cooking, level of physical activity, and pet ownership status.
BMI (Body Mass Index) measurements indicated that 15.6% of the children were overweight and 16.8% were obese. Approximately 40% of the families reported a history of hypertension, and 13.8% of the children currently had hypertension. Over 20% of the families reported having one or more pets in the home, with most of the pets being dogs. Children with dogs in the home were significantly less likely to have elevated BP and hypertension. The same results did not apply to children with other types of pets (cats, birds, farm animals, and other types of animals). This number, however, was small, as only 3.5% of the children had pets other than dogs. Data collected for this study -- but not included in other studies -- provided information about exposure to pets in utero. Findings indicated that such exposure decreased the prevalence of hypertension in males.
The results of this study are consistent with some other studies indicating that adults with pets in the home are less likely to have elevated BP and hypertension than adults without pets. This study adds to the literature by indicating that pet ownership can reduce the chances of elevated BP and hypertension in children.
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