Obesity in Pets and Kids

Obesity in Pets and Kids

DH DeForge, VMD  08March2014

“Challenges are what make life interesting and overcoming them is what makes life meaningful.” - Joshua J. Marine

It is amazing when reviewing the Center for Disease Control and Prevention-- Fact Sheet on Childhood Obesity-- to see a mirror reflection of Obesity in Pets.  Take a moment to read the CDC's comments on what is happening to our children's overweight problem and what long term effects it can have as these young children become adolescents and then adults.

Childhood Obesity Facts-CDC

• Childhood obesity has more than doubled in children and quadrupled in adolescents in the past 30 years.1, 2
• The percentage of children aged 6–11 years in the United States who were obese increased from 7% in 1980 to nearly 18% in 2012. Similarly, the percentage of adolescents aged 12–19 years who were obese increased from 5% to nearly 21% over the same period.1, 2
• In 2012, more than one third of children and adolescents were overweight or obese.1
• Overweight is defined as having excess body weight for a particular height from fat, muscle, bone, water, or a combination of these factors.3 Obesity is defined as having excess body fat.4
• Overweight and obesity are the result of “caloric imbalance”—too few calories expended for the amount of calories consumed—and are affected by various genetic, behavioral, and environmental factors.5,6

Health Effects of Childhood Obesity

Immediate health effects:Childhood obesity has both immediate and long-term effects on health and well-being.

• Obese youth are more likely to have risk factors for cardiovascular disease, such as high cholesterol or high blood pressure. In a population-based sample of 5- to 17-year-olds, 70% of obese youth had at least one risk factor for cardiovascular disease.7
• Obese adolescents are more likely to have prediabetes, a condition in which blood glucose levels indicate a high risk for development of diabetes.8,9
• Children and adolescents who are obese are at greater risk for bone and joint problems, sleep apnea, and social and psychological problems such as stigmatization and poor self-esteem.5,6,10

Long-term health effects:

• Children and adolescents who are obese are likely to be obese as adults11-14 and are therefore more at risk for adult health problems such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke, several types of cancer, and osteoarthritis.6  One study showed that children who became obese as early as age 2 were more likely to be obese as adults.12
• Overweight and obesity are associated with increased risk for many types of cancer, including cancer of the breast, colon, endometrium, esophagus, kidney, pancreas, gall bladder, thyroid, ovary, cervix, and prostate, as well as multiple myeloma and Hodgkin’s lymphoma.15

Prevention

• Healthy lifestyle habits, including healthy eating and physical activity, can lower the risk of becoming obese and developing related diseases.6
• The dietary and physical activity behaviors of children and adolescents are influenced by many sectors of society, including families, communities, schools, child care settings, medical care providers, faith-based institutions, government agencies, the media, and the food and beverage industries and entertainment industries.
• Schools play a particularly critical role by establishing a safe and supportive environment with policies and practices that support healthy behaviors. Schools also provide opportunities for students to learn about and practice healthy eating and physical activity behaviors.

References

1. Ogden CL, Carroll MD, Kit BK, Flegal KM. Prevalence of childhood and adult obesity in the United States, 2011-2012. Journal of the American Medical Association 2014;311(8):806-814.
2. National Center for Health Statistics. Health, United States, 2011: With Special Features on Socioeconomic Status and Health. Hyattsville, MD; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; 2012.
3. National Institutes of Health, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Disease and Conditions Index: What Are Overweight and Obesity? Bethesda, MD: National Institutes of Health; 2010.
4. Krebs NF, Himes JH, Jacobson D, Nicklas TA, Guilday P, Styne D. Assessment of child and adolescent overweight and obesity. Pediatrics 2007;120:S193–S228.
5. Daniels SR, Arnett DK, Eckel RH, et al. Overweight in children and adolescents: pathophysiology, consequences, prevention, and treatment. Circulation 2005;111;1999–2002.
6. Office of the Surgeon General. The Surgeon General's Vision for a Healthy and Fit Nation.  [pdf 840K]. Rockville, MD, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; 2010.
7. Freedman DS, Zuguo M, Srinivasan SR, Berenson GS, Dietz WH. Cardiovascular risk factors and excess adiposity among overweight children and adolescents: the Bogalusa Heart Study. Journal of Pediatrics 2007;150(1):12–17.
8. Li C, Ford ES, Zhao G, Mokdad AH. Prevalence of pre-diabetes and its association with clustering of cardiometabolic risk factors and hyperinsulinemia among US adolescents: NHANES 2005–2006.Diabetes Care 2009;32:342–347.
9. CDC. National diabetes fact sheet: national estimates and general information on diabetes and prediabetes in the United States, 2011  [pdf 2.7M].  Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
10. Dietz WH. Overweight in childhood and adolescence. New England Journal of Medicine2004;350:855-857.
11. Guo SS, Chumlea WC. Tracking of body mass index in children in relation to overweight in adulthood. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 1999;70:S145–148.
12. Freedman DS, Kettel L, Serdula MK, Dietz WH, Srinivasan SR, Berenson GS. The relation of childhood BMI to adult adiposity: the Bogalusa Heart Study. Pediatrics2005;115:22–27.
13. Freedman D, Wang J, Thornton JC, et al. Classification of body fatness by body mass index-for-age categories among children. Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine 2009;163:801–811.
14. Freedman DS, Khan LK, Dietz WH, Srinivasan SA, Berenson GS. Relationship of childhood obesity to coronary heart disease risk factors in adulthood: the Bogalusa Heart Study. Pediatrics2001;108:712–718.
15. Kushi LH, Byers T, Doyle C, Bandera EV, McCullough M, Gansler T, et al. American Cancer Society guidelines on nutrition and physical activity for cancer prevention: reducing the risk of cancer with healthy food choices and physical activity. CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians 2006;56:254–281.

Data from many sources indicate that the minimum percentage of overweight and obese pets in today's society is approximately 30%.  

Dr. Deborah Linder, DVM, DACVN from Tufts University reflects that a more recent study-see resource in NAVC Clinician's Brief Feb 2014..reported that up to 63% of cats are overweight or obese.

In this same publication, Dr. Linder lists the Top Five Health Effects of Obesity [i.e. Clinical Consequences] in our overweight companions.

For Dogs:

1. Poor Quality & Quantity of Life
2. Osteoarthritis
3. Intervertebral Disk Disease
4. Subclinical Conditions
5. Cardio-Respiratory Effects

For Cats:

1. Diabetes
2. Urinary Disease
3. Osteoarthritis
4. Subclinical Conditions
5. Poor Quality & Quantity of Life

If one compares the childhood obesity data to the pet obesity data, the clinical consequences are very similar.  

The development of cardiopulmonary disease and hypertension occurs in both groups and so does Diabetes.  Dr. Linder comments: "In cats, diabetes is the clinical consequence with the strongest correlation to obesity.  Not only is obesity a risk factor for diabetes, but weight loss is a mainstay of treatment for diabetic cats and increases the likelihood of remission."  The correlation between bone and joint problems in both overweight/obese humans and pets is also parallel.  

I feel that the overweight problems in pets starts when they are very young. Pets who became obese as teenage puppies and kittens are more likely to be obese as adults.  There is no data available that I can quote about this reflection but it is a reflection based on my forty years of clinical companion animal practice experience.

The CDC states the following about the Prevention of Obesity in Kids: "Healthy lifestyle habits, including healthy eating and physical activity, can lower the risk of becoming obese and developing related diseases."

There is a parallel to our pets but also an exclusion.  We can readily exercise our dogs and cats and we certainly can correctly monitor calorie intake in consultation with your Local Doctor of Veterinary Medicine.

The exclusion concerns exercise in the cat.  If a cat does not want to exercise it will not exercise.  If a cat wants to sleep it will sleep twenty hours per day and eat the other four.  Mark Twain writes:  

“Of all God's creatures, there is only one that cannot be made slave of the leash. That one is the cat. If man could be crossed with the cat it would improve the man, but it would deteriorate the cat.” 
― Mark Twain

Dr. Linder concludes: The veterinarian "discussing the potentially severe consequences of obesity and the benefits of weight loss for improving quality of life and alleviating pain and suffering may help lessen owner concerns about implementing weight management."

Post-Script from Dr. DeForge:

The important post-script is to never try to manage weight loss in any pet's seriously overweight condition by yourself.  If weight reduction is done quickly or without the guidance of a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, it can lead to grave consequences for your pet. Clinical Lab Exams must be completed to find out if the weight gain is a consequence of calories or some other medical problem. Let your veterinarian be your guide.  Cases as seen in the cat and dog picture in this blog should be referred to a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Nutrition to manage with the pet owner.

Supplement Reading:
CHOW HOUNDS-Why Our Dogs are Getting Fatter-A Vet's Plan to Save their Lives-Dr. Ernie Ward-[DVM] available on Amazon.com

Please address comments concerning this blog to Dr. Don DeForge at:
DoctorDeForge@yahoo.com
08March2014