COMPANION ANIMALS SYMPOSIUM: Obesity in dogs and cats: What is wrong with being fat?1

Abstract

Few diseases in modern pets are diet induced. One possible exception to this is obesity, which is ultimately caused by consuming more calories than needed by the dog or cat. Although fat is the most concentrated and efficiently stored source of calories, and protein least so, an excess of calories from any source will contribute to adiposity. Obesity is an excess of body fat sufficient to result in impairment of health or body function. In people, this is generally recognized as 20 to 25% above ideal BW. This degree of excess is important in dogs as well. A lifelong study in dogs showed that even moderately overweight dogs were at greater risk for earlier morbidity; these dogs required medication for chronic health problems sooner than their lean-fed siblings. The average difference in BW between groups was approximately 25%. Obese cats also face increased health risks, including an increased risk of arthritis, diabetes mellitus, hepatic lipidosis, and early mortality. The risk for development of diabetes increases about 2-fold in overweight cats and about 4-fold [corrected] in obese cats. Altered adipokine secretion appears to be an important mechanism for the link between excess BW and many diseases. Once considered to be physiologically inert, adipose tissue is an active producer of hormones, such as leptin and resistin, and cytokines, including many inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-α, IL-1β and IL-6, and C-reactive protein. The persistent, low-grade inflammation secondary to obesity is thought to play a causal role in chronic diseases such as osteoarthritis, cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, and others. For example, tumor necrosis factor-α alters insulin sensitivity by blocking activation of insulin receptors. In addition, obesity is associated with increased oxidative stress, which also may contribute to obesity-related diseases. Management of obesity involves nutritional modification as well as behavioral modification. Increased protein intake combined with reduced calorie intake facilitates loss of body fat while minimizing loss of lean body mass. Limiting treats to 10% of calorie intake and increasing exercise both aid in successful BW management.

Feline obesity - prevalence, risk factors, pathogenesis, associated conditions and assessment: a review

“…The terms overweight and obese are commonly used as a simple way of denoting the severity of excessive fat mass. Individuals are typically classified as overweight if 10% to 20% heavier than ideal body weight and obese if more than 20% heavier than ideal body weight (Zoran 2009;Laflamme 2012;Linder and Mueller 2014). There are also more complex systems, such as body condition score (BCS) which combines visual assessment and palpation of adipose tissue mass to divide body composition into several defined categories (Laflamme 1997;German 2006;German et al 2006).…”

Spontaneous Diabetes Mellitus in Animals

“…The onset of obesity is responsible of high levels of leptin and resistin, inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF ), interleukins 1 and 6, and C-reactive protein. Particularly, TNF interfere insulin sensitivity by blocking activation of insulin receptors [88]. It is documented that weight gain in lean cats is followed by insulin sensitivity comparable with the range recorded in cats with overt diabetes.…”

“…Obesity is rightly considered as an important predisposing factor to NIDDM, being equally involved in the individual genetic predisposition to insulin resistance and impaired glucose tolerance [88]. The risk of disease results from obesity induced low sensitivity of tissues to insulin and compensatory hyperinsulinemia.…”

Translational value of animal models of obesity—Focus on dogs and cats

“…An important concern with energy restricted diets, however, is that the amount of calories needed to induce weight loss and for the long-term maintenance of energy balance can greatly differ among individual animals (Laflamme, 1997) (Butterwick and Hawthorne, 1998). Too dramatic reductions in total food supply may result in a deficiency of essential nutrients; therefore, it is important that the appropriate diet for body weight loss covers all these requirements and that the adjustment in calorie allowance is made on a regular basis in order to preserve the fat free mass (Laflamme, 2012).…”