As it is said that an apple a day keeps the doctor away similarly a pet in your home keeps the doctor away. A recent study suggests this fact.

The study began in 2013 and 2014, when researchers gathered health and socioeconomic information on over 2,000 people in Brno, Czech Republic, and scheduled follow-up evaluations every five years until 2030. The latest evaluation was done this year 2019 when researchers looked about 2000 people again with no history of heart disease. They were checked on the “Life Simple 7” factors like body mass index, diet, physical activity, smoking status, blood pressure, blood glucose. and cholesterol.

This test was done on two categories of people- one who own pets and the other who were petless.  Petless people were diagnosed with cardiovascular problems as compared to people having pets.

The researchers said that dog ownership leads to more physical activity. Meanwhile, pet ownership, in general, reduces stress, betters our self-esteem and makes us more social.

This study so significant is that it showed the benefits of having a dog go beyond just increased physical activity. The study included many factors that determined the health of the heart and arteries, like showing that dog-owners tend to also have a healthier diet than other pet-owners -- thus contributing to better cardiovascular health.