Tsukuba, Japan—The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a widespread decline in physical activity. To explore this trend, the researchers conducted a web-based survey to examine the influence of dog ownership and exercise self-efficacy on physical activity among Japanese office workers during restrictions related to the pandemic. A total of 414 (including those from 124 dog owners) responses were analyzed. Data on physical activity, which was assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire, exercise self-efficacy, and dog-walking habits were obtained using the recall method at three time points: before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Results revealed that dog owners exhibited a significant decline in physical activity during the pandemic but returned to prepandemic levels afterward. However, non-dog owners displayed no significant changes across the three time points. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, dog ownership was associated with high levels of exercise self-efficacy, which consequently predicted greater physical activity. However, during and after the pandemic, dog ownership no longer influenced exercise self-efficacy; instead, only exercise self-efficacy remained a strong predictor of physical activity. Among dog owners, dog-walking time remained relatively stable across all time points, suggesting that self-efficacy for dog walking in maintaining this routine sustained physical activity even under restrictive conditions.
These findings highlight the role of pet ownership in enhancing exercise self-efficacy and may inform the development of programs for promoting physical activity, particularly during periods of environmental or social restriction.
Title of original paper:
Effects of dog ownership and exercise self-efficacy on physical activity of Japanese office workers during the COVID-19 pandemic
Journal:
Discover Public Health
DOI:
10.1186/s12982-025-01232-y
Professor NAKATA, Yoshio
Researcher Yutong Shi
Institute of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Tsukuba
Institute of Health and Sport Sciences
Discover Public Health
Effects of dog ownership and exercise self-efficacy on physical activity of Japanese office workers during the COVID-19 pandemic
17-Dec-2025