BEIJING, Jan. 11 (Xinhuanet) -- A new study from Finland shows pet owners tend to be heavier, less active and in poorer health than people without a pet, which was released in PLoS ONE, an online journal published by the Public Library of Science.

    Although a number of studies showed certain people can take advantage of a dog or cat to ease stress, loneliness and even dementia-related agitation in the elderly, researchers recently found pet owners were generally more likely to be overweight and to view their own health as poor.

    The conclusion was drawn from survey data of more than 21,000 young to middle-aged Finnish adults.

    This was largely because pet owners tended to be middle-aged, have less education and more health-risk factors, explained Dr. Leena K. Koivusilta, the study's lead author.

    And despite having Fido to take for walks, even dog owners typically got little exercise.

    The fact that pet owners were in poorer health does not mean pets are bad for people, Koivusilta said.

    "In my opinion, pets provide us all with a vast potential for health promotion, and this has indeed been shown when some special groups have been studied."

    Pet owners, according to the researchers, may just need to make more of an effort -- such as walking and playing with the dog instead of showing him the way to the yard.

    (Agencies)