Study suggests pet exposure might help protect babies from allergies, obesity
EDMONTON — A family dog may be a baby’s best friend for avoiding allergies and becoming obese later in life, a new study suggests.
Research at the University of Alberta shows infants from families with furry pets, especially dogs, showed higher levels of two types of gut microbes associated with lower risks of obesity and allergic disease.
“The abundance of these bacteria were increased twofold when there was a pet in the house,” said Anita Kozyrskyj, a pediatric epidemiologist who is one of the world’s leading researchers on gut microbes.
The findings of her research team were published Thursday in the journal Microbiome.