SPECIAL STORY 58 FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE December 2023 For many years, being overweight or obese was a human concern. These days, more companion animals are struggling with this condition. Here Dr Maygane Ronsmans, Product Manager Animal Nutrition at BENEO, explores how functional ingredients can help as a natural support for weight management in pets and why the choice of carbohydrate and fibre matters when it comes to long-term health. FUNCTIONAL INGREDIENTS SUPPORT PET WEIGHT MANAGEMENT Dr Maygane Ronsmans Product Manager Animal Nutrition BENEO PETS ARE INCREASINGLY OVERWEIGHT OR OBESE Numbers of overweight and obese companion animals have steadily increased over the last few decades and now exceed 50% in Western countries. Recent statistics from the US have even classified 6 in 10 dogs and cats as overweight or obese. According to Mintel, contributing factors to this rising pet obesity include the lockdown restrictions during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, where there was less exercise and more time spent at home, resulting in an increased number of treats given to pets. As with humans, there are many serious health consequences for overweight or obese pets. These include cardiovascular and metabolic diseases (e.g., glucose intolerance, diabetes), or skeletal associated disorders, leading to a negative impact on the pet’s - and owner’s - quality of life. Pet owners are well aware of the dangers surrounding having overweight or obese companion animals. According to recent global survey figures from FMCG Gurus, 6 in 10 cat and dog owners were concerned about the weight of their pet and 4 in 10 said they are currently taking actions to help their pet lose weight. These findings were also mirrored in a survey conducted on behalf of BENEO which showed that more than 8 in 10 pet owners worldwide agree that on-pack communication about helping to control their pet’s weight naturally (87%) or having a lower impact on blood sugar levels (85%), very much or somewhat affects their purchase intention of a pet food product. Always willing to read pet owner needs and translate them into solutions, this consumer concern around pet weight has been picked up by the industry. Not surprisingly, pet product innovations are showing an upward trend of carrying a claim around weight management. In 2023, 8% of global new pet food launches carried such a claim, an increase from 5% in 2020. FUNCTIONAL INGREDIENTS AS PART OF THE SOLUTION Like in humans, prevention of obesity is always better than cure, and a balanced diet should remain the ‘gold standard’. Nevertheless, when weight loss
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTUxNjkxNQ==