Fat or Fluffy? obesity part I

Hi, my name is Kate, and I am obese. I am not alone. The stats they throw at us all day long say that 66% or more Americans are overweight or obese. This has rightly been labeled a health epidemic. There are many reasons for this problem of epidemic proportions, but it boils down to one or two simple issues. We like to eat. We like to eat too much. We like to eat too much of the wrong thing. Personally, I like sugar. In just about every form. Except mint- mint is yucky. Chocolate mint ice cream is just a waste of good chocolate.

We 66%ers take too many calories in. And we don't get enough good exercise to use them up. When the ins are higher than the outs, we get calories stored in the form of fat. Muffin tops. Love handles. Saddlebags. Bingo arms. You get the idea. Historically, bodies developed to store calories during the good times that would then be available for energy during the inevitable bad times. But in developed countries the bad times are pretty much non-existent.

So what does this have to do with pets, you ask. Everything. Our pets in the US share some of our health issues, and obesity is a big one. The same stats apply. As many as 66% of our cats and dogs are overweight and obese. So how can this be? My Bella doesn't get a sudden sugar craving at midnight, get into the freezer, pull out a pint of Ben and Jerry's and chow down. Nope. I feed her. So, again, how does she get fat? Where do we place the blame. Again, the basic issue is simple, but the context is a bit more complex.

Here's the thing. I am obese. My BMI is 31 (BMI is a height-to-weight calculation for people, you can find charts online). But my friends and family tell me I'm not obese. Not fat. They will occasionally agree that I am a bit overweight. Then they offer me dessert.

We are so used to seeing ourselves and others in a overweight state that we have lost perspective. We no longer know what is normal and healthy in our body types. This is true for our pets as well.  Many pet owners are so used to seeing their overweight pet they have no idea that it is not, in fact, normal. I frequently hear from pet owners with dogs of normal weight that they are badgered by friends, family and strangers about their dogs being underweight.

It's our fault. This is an important concept to get: our pet's obesity is OUR fault. We feed them. We overfeed and underexercise them. We have that control. So let's take that control back. In the end, we will have happier, healthier pets, who will likely be part of out lives longer.

Enough lecture for the moment. I will post part 2 soon. If you are interested in more information- like how to tell if your pet is overweight, exercise and diet strategies, and the long-term effects of obesity, talk to your vet. I will have an on-line lecture about weight issues linked through the website www.angelspaws.com. Feel free to listen to that one, and the other informational sessions Tammy Wynn and I are recording.!

Enjoy your pets!

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