title: Changes in body composition during weight loss in obese client-owned cats: loss of lean tissue mass correlates with overall percentage of weight lost.
abstract: Obesity is one of the most common medical diseases in cats, but there remains little information on success of weight loss regimes in obese client-owned cats. No information currently exists on body composition changes during weight loss in clinical cases. Twelve obese client-owned cats undertook a weight loss programme incorporating a high-protein low fat diet. Body composition was quantified by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, before and after weight loss. Mean (+/-standard deviation) weight loss was 27+/-6.8% of starting weight, and mean rate of weight loss was 0.8+/-0.32% per week. Mean energy allocation during weight loss was 32+/-7.0 kcal/kg target weight. Mean composition of tissue lost was 86:13:1 (fat:lean:bone mineral). The proportion of lean tissue loss was positively associated with overall percentage of weight loss (simple linear regression, r(2)=44.2%, P=0.026). Conventional weight loss programmes produce safe weight loss, but lean tissue loss is an inevitable consequence in cats that lose significant proportions of their starting body weight.
authors.affiliation: Small Animal Teaching Hospital, Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, University of Liverpool, Chester High Road, Neston, Wirral, UK. ajgerman@liv.ac.uk
authors.forename: Alexander J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: German
authors.forename: Shelley
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Holden
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bissot
authors.forename: Penelope J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Morris
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Biourge
mesh_terms: D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon / Q000662:veterinary; D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001823:Body Composition / Q000502:physiology*; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D002415:Cats; D004038:Diet, Reducing / Q000662:veterinary; D002149:Energy Intake / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000378:metabolism*; D009765:Obesity / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D010805:Physical Conditioning, Animal / Q000379:methods; D015431:Weight Loss / Q000502:physiology*