Diabetes, your dog and you
Between 2006 and 2016, the incidence of diabetes in dogs increased almost 80 percent. It’s now estimated that 1 in every 300 pooches will get the disease.
Beagles, bichons frises, cairn terriers, dachshunds, fox terriers, poodles and pugs are the most often diagnosed.
As dismaying as that info is, it turns out that it also foreshadows humans’ risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. A Swedish study published in the BMJ followed more than 175,000 middle-aged dog owners for six years. The researchers found that owning a dog that had or developed diabetes increased the risk that the owner would also be diagnosed with the condition by 38 percent.
So if your best pal is diagnosed with diabetes, let it serve as a wake-up call to you. Clearly you both need more physical activity.
For most breeds, walks lasting a total of 30 to 120 minutes a day will keep them healthy. Ask your vet for guidance. And take advantage of the dog-walking schedule to get your full 10,000 steps in. With a dog that doesn’t dawdle too badly, you can get around 2,500 to 3,000 steps in 30 minutes.
One study found that people who walked a loaner dog five days a week lost more than 14 pounds over the course of a year.
Bonus tip: As you reduce your risk for diabetes one dog walk at a time, opt for diabetes-defeating nutrition with a plant-based diet and lean proteins (salmon, skinless chicken) and ditch ultra-processed foods, added sugars and red and processed meats.
How much should you weigh given your age and height?
How can you figure out the right weight for your optimal health? The best way is to use several measurements to see if they reinforce the other’s findings.
■ Figure your BMI at cdc.gov; search for “adult BMI calculator.” Or try the Smart BMI Calculator, www.smartbmicalculator. com, which considers your gender and age along with weight and height.
■ Determine your waistto-hip ratio. Measure your waist at its narrowest part and divide that number by a measurement of your hips at their widest part. Below 0.9 equals low risk of cardiovascular health problems; 0.9 to 0.99 equals moderate risk; 1.0 or more equals high risk.
■ Calculate your waistto-height ratio. Divide waist size by height in inches. Are you 0.5 or less? Chances are you’re a healthy weight.
■ Ask your doc for a body fat assessment using a pinch test. Fit nonathletes come in at 14 percent to 17 percent for guys and 21 percent to 24 percent for gals.