Urban Forests: Survey your moves – with focus on urban green spaces

Klara Smedberg is a PhD student at the Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry and a licensed veterinarian. She holds a part-time position as a junior lecturer in veterinary nursing at the SLU. The survey study 'Survey your moves – with focus on urban green spaces' is a part of her PhD project “U Can Move”, in which the research team studies health effects of joint dog-dog owner physical activity with a One Health approach.

Previous research has shown a reduced risk for cardiovascular disease in dog owners, but the reasons behind this are not completely clarified. Is it because the dog provides social support and reduces stress in their owner? Or because dog owners are more physically active than people without dogs, and spend more time outdoors? The survey study Survey your moves – with focus on urban green spaces maps lifestyle habits, health and well-being in Swedish dog owners and their dogs, with the aim of finding out more about health benefits associated with dog ownership and the importance of urban green spaces for habits of physical activity in dog owners.