Walk your dog if you want to lose weight.

Dogs are not only our best friend, but also they might be an instrumental tool in weight loss. A new study from researchers at the University of Missouri-Columbia has found that having a pet encourages owners to get more exercise and results in more weight loss than most nationally known diet plans.

Here's proof: The volunteer participants in this plan lost 14 pounds in a year--without eating less or doing any other exercise. "Our goal was to look for ways to increase the average exercise regimen, and we found being responsible for a pet, such as committing to walk a loaner dog, encouraged people who did not own dogs to walk more often and for longer periods of time," said Rebecca Johnson, associate professor of nursing and director of the College of Veterinary Medicine's Research Center for Human-Animal Interaction.

The study: The research project encouraged economically disadvantaged and disabled participants to walk with dogs on a regular, graduated schedule. The participants began the program by walking 10 minutes per day, three times each week. Eventually, the participants walked up to 20 minutes per day, five times each week. During rainy days, the participants walked an inside route. Before the project began, each volunteer received a full health assessment, including measurements of weight, lean body mass, bone density, blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, triglycerides, joint movement functional ability and mood. Each was fitted with new walking shoes. One group walked for 50 weeks, while the second group walked for only 26 weeks. The dogs in the study were provided by the Pet Assisted Love and Support program at the MU College of Veterinary Medicine.

The results: The group that walked for 50 weeks averaged a weight loss of 14 pounds, a better result than most of the nationally known weight-loss plans report. Johnson said the weight loss in the second group was not statistically significant, but the participants did engage in other activities that surprised the researchers.

"The results of the first group were wonderful," Johnson said. "Even though we didn't see a significant amount of weight loss in the group that walked for a shorter period of time, by the end of the study, all the participants were walking for longer periods of time and walking for daily errands instead of using some other type of transportation.