U.S. Pets Increasingly Pudgy

Children and adults aren't the only members of U.S. households battling an obesity epidemic. It seems that our pets are putting on the pounds as well.

A 2008 study from the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention found that 44 percent of dogs and 57 percent of cats are overweight or obese.

As with humans, added weight puts pets at greater risk for various health problems, including type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis and skin conditions.

WATCH VIDEO: Do you think your pet is overweight? Here are some quick tips on how to take the steps to help your cat maintain that perfect weight.

Susan Nelson, a veterinarian and assistant professor of clinical services at Kansas State University, attributes the rampant weight problems to high-calorie diets coupled with insufficient exercise.

"For many [pets], it's a combination of too many calories and too little exercise," Nelson told Discovery News. "Sound familiar? We see the same thing in people as well."

When owners notice that their pets are packing on the pounds, Nelson said they should assess how many calories the animals are eating everyday -- including what's in the food dish as well as in treats and table scraps that quickly add surplus calories to pets' diets.

"Treats are often high-calorie and not very nutritious," Nelson explains. "When your pet starts eating more treats and less of its nutritionally complete diet, it receives subpar nutrition, just as with people who eat primarily junk food."

When evaluating a pet's diet, Nelson adds that treats shouldn't comprise more than 10 percent of its daily calorie intake. Owners should also pay closer attention to serving guidelines and nutrition information on food packaging to ensure that they aren't doling out too much for their pet's body size.

How can you tell if your pooch is too portly? Healthy dogs and cats will have an hourglass figure with abdomens that tuck up at the flank and ribs that aren't visible, but easily detectable by touch. Veterinarians can also determine pets' ideal weight and calculate how much they should be eating.

While different breeds have varying nutritional needs, Nelson said that owners might need to implement portion control for overweight pets by feeding them the amount of food designated for their ideal weight. Obese animals, on the other hand, could benefit from diet food prescribed by a veterinarian.

Pet dieting might seem far-fetched, but a 2002 study published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association found that dogs fed 25 percent less food lived longer and experienced delayed onset of chronic diseases, compared with a control group.

Yet Tony Buffington, a professor at Ohio State University's College of Veterinary Medicine and diplomat of the American College of Veterinary Nutrition, doesn't think that diet is the magic bullet for mitigating pet obesity.

Like Nelson, he emphasizes pets' exercise needs, but he also underscores the impact of stressful household environments.

"I think obesity rests on a three-legged platform," Buffington said. "One leg is food, and food has never been as highly palatable, cheap and available as it is today."

Activity and stress are the other two major obesity factors, Buffington tells Discovery News. Most pets, whether indoor or outdoor, are completely inactive or bored, and both of those conditions promote weight gain.

For healthier pets, owners should change how, rather than how much, they eat. "Stop feeding them out of a bowl," Buffington advised. Foraging devices or food puzzles make dogs and cats work for their meals, stimulating their bodies and brains at the same time.

Additional exercise and human interaction are also crucial for maintaining a wholesome living environment for animals. In fact, that elevated activity can alleviate weight problems facing not only pets but also their owners.

"This is a worldwide, pan-species epidemic," Buffington said.

Christen Conger is a staff writer for HowStuffWorks.com.