Body weight management Flashcards
What factors are important when considering obesity management
- diet
- owner recognition
- realistic goals
- dog-owner relationship
Energy intake is equal to
Energy intake = RMR + voluntary activity + TEF
Internal signals that affect energy intake
- gastric distension
- physiological response to stimuli
- physiological satiety and hunger cues
External signals that affect energy intake
- food availability
- timing and size of meals
- food composition and texture
- diet palatability
Food intake + food expenditure –>
weight gain, weight maintenance or weight loss
factors affecting resting metabolic rate
- reduced energy intake
- genetics
- disease
- fat free mass
- hormonal status
- extreme temperature
- hindgut microflora
- age
- growth
- sleep
% of cats that are overweight
53%
% of dogs that are overweight
55%
What factors affect weight control
- compliance
- works great in clinical studies, but ~20% compliance - excess intake
- weight is associated with owner perception of use of treats and favourite food - owner factors
- obese dogs are treated differently and have a different “role” than normal weight dogs
- obese dogs were anthropomorphized to a greater extent - competitive eating in multi-pet households
- physical activity
- play –> leaner pets
Methods of obtaining + or - energy balance
- dietary energy management throughout life cycle through dietary energy intake and energy output
- monitoring of BW and body composition (observe and alter feed intake –> 3/5)
- owner education (on lifespan and quality of life)
- reasonable and safe guidelines
Bench mark in energy requirements
maintenance
- important to understand management
- make thoughtful adjustments and look at sensitivity to gain/lose weight
Energy requirement for late gestation
1.25-1.5 x maintenance
Energy requirement for lactation
3 x maintenance
Energy requirement for prolonged physical work
2-4 x maintenance
Decreased environmental temperature
1.2-1.8 x maintenance
Energy requirement for cats
ME = K x BW K = 50 for sedentary; 60 = active; 70 = very active
Tools used to monitor body condition in dogs/cats
- dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA)
2. assessment if lean body tissue
Dual energy x-ray absorptimetry (DEXA)
- measures fat mass
- differentiates between fat and lean mass (tissue and muscle)
Assessment of lean body tissue
- helps to determine body condition score
- separately evaluate muscle mass (palpate muscle over axial skeleton, bony prominences)
Other tools owners use to monitor body condition?
- home scales (typically not accurate for small dogs/cats)
- “ideal body weights” are usually a subjective guess
What should be involved in educating an owner on wellness?
- education (consumer/owner on importance of maintaining lean BW)
- repetition
- encouragement (what get’s better between family and animal?)
- “tact” (talk about the animal without actually referring to them)
Owners of pets that are overweight are ? more likely to be overweight themselves
3x
Perception vs. reality
- owners don’t recognize obesity and it they do, they don’t think it’s a problem
- vets identify less (could be a potential for confounding - majority aren’t coming in for wellness exam)
Communication is essential for success
- comment only about the pet
- listen, empathize
- be realistic and individualize plans (exercise capacity, timeline)
- encourage, recheck
Obstales in successful weight loss
- where do you start to ensure success and how do you track progress?
- food best provided on a weight basis, but this is not how owners feed
- difficult to track weight accurately in small animals
- owner behaviour
- effective communication of risk assessment and understanding how weight affects quality of life
human-animal bond facilitates weight loss
Simultaneously recommend weight loss routines –> better results when they do it together
- people who walk their dogs tend to be leaner than non-dog owners
Reasonable weight loss rate in cats
1-1.5% BW per week
- possible hepatic lipidosis
Reasonable weight loss rate in dogs
1-3% BW per week
Criteria for safe weight loss in dogs/cats:
- reasonable rate of weight loss
- compliance
- avoid side effects
- safety
- lose fat, maintain muscle
Pet obesity formulation principles
- reduced fat
- L-carnitine
- carbohydrate blend
- fermentable fiber blend
Reducing caloric density
- reduce fat (but maintain protein - meet or exceed on BW basis to support lean body mass)
- decrease bulk density (“big fluffy kibble”)
- increase fiber
Why is reducing caloric density beneficial?
Can feed to the same amount per day but providing less calories
Reduced fat claim
- contains x% less fat (compared to…) to promote health weight loss
- complete and balanced nutrition for healthy weight
Role L-carnitine plays in weight loss
Facilitates B-oxidation of fatty acids
- vitamin-like substances found in animal protein
- facilitates transport of LCFAs across mitochondrial membrane for B-oxidation and export of acetyl-CoA out of mitchondria
L-carnitine claim in dogs
- enhanced with L-carnitine to help burn fat and keep a dog at healthy weight
- contains lower fat levels and L-carnitine to help burn fat and maintain healthy weight
- dietary L-carnitine to help burn fat
Is L-carnitine AAFCO recognized?
Yes
L-carnitine claim in cats
- enhanced with L-carnitine to help burn fat and keep your cat at a healthy weight
- contains lower levels of fat and L-carnitine to help burn fat and maintain healthy weight
L-carnitine take home message
- supplementation during maintenance may help to promote fatty acid oxidation and maintain lean mass; however in vivo studies in dogs at maintenance are lacking
- carnitine deficiency could be linked to cardiac problems in dogs/cats
Recommended carbohydrate blend for weight loss
blends of low and moderate GI carbs
- barley, sorghum, peas, lentils = low
- corn = moderate
Benefits of carbohydrate blends
helps even out glucose highs and lows by providing slow, steady rise in blood sugar after a meal
What is high glucose associated with?
obesity and diabetes
Dog carbohydrate claims
- scientifically blended carbs that can help nutritionally manage appetite by maintaining normal blood sugar levels
- carb blend to help maintain normal blood sugar levels for weight control
- helps promote healthy glucose metabolism
–> Normal = very SUBJECTIVE term
Cat carbohydrate claims
- a special blend of carbs to keep your cat feeling full
- carbohydrate blend to help maintain normal blood sugar levels for weight control
- helps promote healthy glucose metabolism
Effect of fermentable fiber on body?
Stimulates insulin release in response to glucose
SCFA –> pro-glucagon –> GLP-1 –> insulin –> decreased glucose
Fermentable fiber take home message?
increases synthesis and secretion of intestinal peptides that can improve intestinal nutrient transport capacity and stimulate insulin secretion to avoid high levels of blood glucose
Nutrition and health management plan
water, promotion of physical activity, control of food intake and monitor on an individual basis
Name 5 components of how weight control is multi-faceted?
- compliance
- excessive intake
- physical activity
- owner factors
- competitive eating in multi pet households
What nutrient class is important for the weight loss in cats
Water
- cats that drink more, tend to move more so they would be likely better at losing weight
Obesity is partly a reflection of energy balance, and energy intake is highly variable to the affect os internal and external signals. Name 2 examples of each type of signal?
Internal = gastric distention, physiological response to stimuli, physiological satiety, hunger cues
External = food availability, timing and size of meals, food composition and texture, palatability
Why is it important to carefully address weight management problems to a pet owner in a way that will encourage proper weight loss instead of discourage them? How can you effectively communicate with the owner?
- sensitive subject
- they may see it as a reflection of themselves and feel that they are being personally attacked
- comment only about pets, listen to the owners and empathize, give them realistic and individualized plans, encourage them and recheck their progress
- leaner pet will result in a healthier, happier and longer living pet
What are 4 pet obesity management technologies we discussed in class?
- reduced fat - reduces caloric intake
- L-carnitine - burns fat
- carbohydrate blend - reduces glycemic load
- fermentable fiber - improves insulin and glucose response
What are 3 strategies that can be used to reduce the caloric density of a cat/dog food?
- reduce fat (maintain protein on an energy basis)
- decrease bulk density (keep SA the same)
- increase fiber
Is the criteria for safe weight loss (by % lost/week) lower in cats than dogs? Why?
Yes, since their liver cannot handle an excess of lipid breakdown at once (risk of hepatic lipidosis)
