Wide variation in pet food calorie content contributes to confusion among pet owners, according to a study from Tufts University in Massachusetts.
“There is so much information – and misinformation – about pet foods, it’s understandable that people are confused about what to feed their dogs and cats,” said Dr. Lisa Freeman, professor of nutrition at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine. “To counteract these myths, people are accustomed to turning to the labels on food – but, as this study shows, packaging might not always be a reliable source of information.”
Almost half of all pets are overweight
Nearly 50 percent of domesticated animals are overweight or obese, (which has an interesting correlation to the 45 percent of adult Americans who do not participate in any leisure physical activity), however, there is a wide variation in calorie content among ‘low calorie’ pet foods that is making things worse.
Pet owners buying weight-control diets for their overweight dogs and cats are faced with a wide and confusing variation of calorie density, feeding guidelines and costs, according to the study published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association.
Nearly 100 dog food brands studied
Researchers examined nearly 100 commercially available diets with weight management claims. Calorie density was gathered from the product packaging and by contacting manufacturers. They found that dry dog foods ranged widely in calorie density and recommended intake.
The diets also varied wildly in price – from 4 cents to more than $1.10 per kilocalorie. Similar findings were made in wet dog food marketed for weight control. Under U.S. federal guidelines, pet foods labeled “light” or “low calorie” must provide the caloric content, and foods with this designation must adhere to a maximum kilocalorie per kilogram restriction.
However, Freeman points out that more than half of the foods evaluated in the study exceeded this maximum. Foods without these designations are currently allowed, but not required, to provide the caloric content on the label. Efforts are currently underway to make this information required on all pet food labels.
Feeding instructions confusing
Another important issue identified in the study was the high variability in feeding recommendations. In fact, for most of the diets, pets would not lose weight or would actually gain weight if owners adhered to the label’s feeding directions and did not adjust according to their pet’s individual calorie requirements.
The results may be significant for owners whose cats or dogs are overweight or obese, since obesity in companion animals is associated with numerous diseases, including pancreatitis, osteoarthritis, dermatologic disease, diabetes, and respiratory tract diseases – and may contribute to a shorter lifespan.
To find out more about pet food, check out DogFoodAdvisor.com and DogFoodProject.com, or add your own recommendations below.
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