The line between pet and people food
continues to blur as manufacturers promote human grade food. The market for
organic pet food accounts for 7% of sales and households are not trading down
even as household budgets become tighter. In fact, the market for bottled vitamin-infused
mountain spring water for dogs is burgeoning.
The New York Times wondered if pets are healthier for this trend. Tony Buffington, a professor of veterinary nutrition at Ohio State
University, says his students have studied the diet history of thousands of
animals and have not yet determined that one pet food brand is better than another. “We
have been unable to distinguish an outcome in healthy animals eating a wide
variety of foods,” he says.
America’s pets are joining their
owners in the obesity epidemic. Obese dogs (15% than their optimal weight) are
at risk for diabetes and joint and locomotion problems, as well as an increased
incidence of cancer and high blood pressure. The leading causes of obesity in
pets are unlimited access to food and overfeeding of highly palatable foods.
People truly consider their animals
to be part of the family. Every member of the family – including the humans –
should be offered reasonable portions of high quality food, limit the junk and
take long walks many times a day.
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