Obesity has become an obvious problem for humans and their pets in most industrialized countries. Even skeptics can’t argue that most weight problems are caused by inappropriate nutrition, mostly a combination of too high caloric intake for the individual’s activity level.

Statistics
A study by the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention found that nearly half of the dogs and cats in the US are overweight or obese. The specific numbers in their 2008 study shows that 44% of dogs and 57% of cats in the US are estimated to be overweight or obese with an annual increase of 1% and 4% respectively. Obesity rates were found to be 18% in cats and 10% in dogs. Here is the copy of the 2007 National Pet Obesity Awareness Day Study.

Weight-related disorders seem to be more frequent in smaller breeds such as Chihuahuas, Dachshund, or Yorkshire terriers than large-sized breeds. Low activity levels of pets with low activity levels (e.g., indoor living).

Obesity-related Health Risks
Excess fat doesn’t only make your pet look plump and pudgy - it affects his health as well. The most common health risks are diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, arthritis, respiratory problems, tumors and cancers. These diseases compromise a pet’s quality of life and longevity.

The Solution
Since excess glucose is stored in fat, pet guardians should select foods which are low in glucose (which is also the main component in honey) and simple carbohydrates (e.g., refined flours). If you buy commercial convenience pet foods or treats you should read the label carefully and consider your pet’s nutritional needs, total caloric intake, and exercise level, when deciding what and how much to feed to your pet.

P.S.: What about Honey?
Although honey has become a popular ingredient in ‘premium’ or ‘holistic’ pet food products, few pet guardians may know that honey contains 23-41% glucose and 31-44% fructose. While it is already general knowledge that glucose is a primary player in both obesity and diabetes, it is less known that excess dietary fructose also increases the risk of several diseases including obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and kidney stones.(1) Fructose is metabolized by the liver and produces excessive amounts of triglycerides, a blood fat which can also interfere with insulin signaling in the brain thereby affecting brain cell survival, plasticity, and memory (Georgia State University, University of Waterloo). Unlike high-fructose containing sweeteners such as corn syrup and honey, fruits have not been linked to these health problems.

(1) Indian J Biochem Biophys 2009 46(1):66-72.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, August 11th, 2009 at 2:57 pm and is filed under Organic Pet Food Standards. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.