February 8, 2019
IS YOUR PET OBESE?
Whether it’s due to eating too much or exercising too little, “man’s best friends” really are just like us.
Not Fat. Just Husky
US vs. THEM
More than 1 in 3 U.S. adults are overweight (BMI 25- 29.9).
Nearly 40% of adult Americans are obeseA (BMI 30+).
56% of dogs & 60% of cats are overweight or obese.
Only 17% of owners acknowledge that their pets are overweight.
“The number of pets with clinical obesity continues to increase… We’re continuing to see more pets diagnosed with obesity rather than overweight… Pets with obesity also have reduced quality of life and shorter life expectancy.’
Dr. Ernie Ward, Association for Pet Obesity Prevention founder & veterinarian
WHY IT MATTERS:
Overweight pets are prone to
- back, hip & joint problems
- kidney, heart & lung diseases
- diabetes &A some types of cancer
In 2018, the U.S. pet industry was valued at $72B (a 50% jump in 15 years). Insiders say it’s due to increasingA health care costs, many related to overweight ailments.A
Found in more than 60% of U.S. households, dogs & cats are still the most popular American pets, but that pecking order could soon change. Poultry ownership has climbed 23% in recent years – no word yet on their weight problems.
- Obesity and Overweight:
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/obesity-overweight.htm - Overweight & Obesity Statistics:
https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/health-statistics/overweight-obesity - Dog Obesity: Why It”s Important To Manage Your Dog”s Weight:
https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/fat-dogs-and-dog-obesity/ - 2017 Pet Obesity Survey Results:
https://petobesityprevention.org/2017 - Time to Put Fluffy and Fido on a Diet?:
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/04/well/family/time-to-put-fluffy-and-fido-on-a-diet.html - AVMA releases latest stats on pet ownership and veterinary care :
https://www.avma.org/News/PressRoom/Pages/AVMA-releases-latest-stats-on-pet-ownership-and-veterinary-care.aspx - Pet Industry Market Size & Ownership Statistics: [https://www.americanpetproducts.org/pressindustrytrends.asp](https://www.americanpetproducts.org/pressindustrytrends.asp)
- The high cost of pet obesity:
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/the-high-cost-of-pet-obesity/
by Jenna Lee,
