Table 1 Participant characteristics by dog ownership status

 Gender (N female, %)

43

27 (63%)

27 (63%)

 Age at start of study (years)

43

69.9 (± 4.1)

70.2 (± 4.1)

 Ethnicity (N White British)

43

43 (100%)

43 (100%)

 Cat ownership (N yes)

43

4 (9%)

4 (9%)

Townsend Index

43

 1 (least deprived)

11 (26%)

11 (26%)

 2

15 (35%)

15 (35%)

 3

12 (28%)

12 (28%)

 4

4 (9%)

4 (9%)

 5 (most deprived)

1 (2%)

1 (2%)

 Distance between homes (km)

42

 BMI (kg.m⁻²)

43

25.4 (± 4.3)

25.8 (± 3.7)

 Participants reporting a chronic health condition at start of study

38/41

14 (37%)

15 (37%)

 Self-reported continuous walking distance (km)

38/37

6.1 ± (2.2)

6.5 ± (2.6)