A high protein high fibre diet improves weight loss in obese dogs

A newly-formulated, high protein high fibre (HPHF) diet has recently been shown to improve satiety in dogs. The current study examined its performance during weight loss in client-owned dogs with naturally-occurring obesity. Fifteen dogs were fed the HPHF diet, whilst a matched ‘control’ group of 27 dogs, received a high protein medium fibre diet (HPMF), with an equivalent caloric density. Baseline characteristics (signalment, percentage overweight, and body fat percentage) were not significantly different between groups. However, percentage weight loss was greater (median [range] 31.8% [12.0–41.2%] vs. 20.0% [5.9–45.0%], P = 0.016) and mean rate of weight loss faster (median [range] 1.0%/week [0.3–1.6%] vs. 0.7%/week [0.3–1.5%], P = 0.028) on HPHF compared with HPMF. Percentage body fat mass decrease (measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry) was also greater in dogs fed the HPHF diet (median (range] 58% [32–85%) vs. 37% [15–72%), P = 0.002). Thus, a diet formulated to include high levels of both protein and fibre, improves outcome during weight loss in obese dogs.