Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Calorie counts and feeding tips for dog and cat weight loss diets
By Linder, Deborah E & Freeman, Lisa M·Published in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association·2010·Department of Clinical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Evaluation of calorie density and feeding directions for commercially available diets designed for weight loss in dogs and cats.
Plain-English summary
A study looked at 93 different dog and cat diets that are marketed for weight loss. It found that the calorie content in these diets varied widely, with dog foods ranging from 217 to 440 calories per cup and cat foods from 235 to 480 calories per cup. The recommended amount of food for weight loss also differed significantly, which could make it harder for pet owners to help their pets lose weight effectively. This means that if you're trying to help your pet shed some pounds, it's important to check the calorie content and feeding guidelines on the food label to find the best option for your furry friend.
People also search for: dog weight loss diet · cat weight management food · how much to feed my dog for weight loss
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To determine range of calorie density and feeding directions for commercially available diets designed for weight management in dogs and cats. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SAMPLE POPULATION: 93 diets (44 canine diets and 49 feline diets) that had a weight management claim with feeding directions for weight loss or implied weight management claims. PROCEDURES: Calorie density was collected from product labels or by contacting manufacturers. Recommended feeding directions for weight loss were compared with resting energy requirement (RER) for current body weight by use of a standard body weight (36.4 kg [80 lb] for canine diets and 5.5 kg [12 lb] for feline diets). RESULTS: Calorie density for the 44 canine diets ranged from 217 to 440 kcal/cup (median, 301 kcal/cup) and from 189 to 398 kcal/can (median, 310 kcal/can) for dry and canned diets, respectively. Calorie density for the 49 feline diets ranged from 235 to 480 kcal/cup (median, 342 kcal/cup) and from 78 to 172 kcal/can (median, 146 kcal/can) for dry and canned diets, respectively. Recommended calorie intake for weight loss in dogs ranged from 0.73 to 1.47 x RER (median, 1.00 x RER) and for weight loss in cats ranged from 0.67 to 1.55 x RER (median, 1.00 x RER). Diets ranged from $0.04 to $1.11/100 kcal of diet (median, $0.15/100 kcal of diet). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Wide variation existed in recommended calorie intake, kilocalories, and cost for diets marketed for weight loss in pets. This variability could contribute to challenges of achieving successful weight loss in pets.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20043803/