Owner Perceptions of Physical Activity and Diet in Overweight Dogs: A One Health Approach

The human-animal bond has been associated with positive influences on human emotional well-being with less known about the role in physical health. The purpose of this study is to reveal owner perceptions and behaviors regarding healthy weight, diet, and physical activity in their dogs. We hypothesize that dog health assessments related to overweight and obese body types may influence positive behavior changes in humans. Dog owners completed questionnaires before, during and after their dogs participated in short or long term weight loss studies. Information was obtained on diet and feeding patterns as well as routine activity. Forty-five adult dogs were enrolled and randomized based on their body condition score (BCS), similar to a body mass index in humans. Dogs were evenly distributed between diet intervention groups in terms of age, weight, BCS, and sex. The analysis examined responses to a series of questions on dog behavior, diet, quality of life, and physical activity. Results show that owners whose dogs lost weight reported improved quality of life in their companion animals. There were differences between perceived and actual physical activity. This work demonstrates a knowledge-gap through owners’ perceptions about their overweight dogs that may relate to the human-obesity epidemic. Future studies will include simultaneous assessments of owners and their dogs' nutrition, physical activity, and health status including weight and chronic conditions. Connecting human and animal knowledge about weight loss, diet, and physical activity may incite healthy behavior change and lead to improved public health prevention programs benefiting owners and companion species.