Page 497 - Small Animal Clinical Nutrition 5th Edition

Obesity 513

VetBooks.ir Box 27-6. Regulatory Definitions for Descriptive Terms Indicating Restricted Calories or Fat.

Model Pet Food Regulation PF10 of the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) defines limits and labeling requirements
for claims related to restricted calorie and fat content. The regulation was implemented in the United States in January 1998.

Maximum calories or fat allowed for “light” or “lean” claims depending on moisture content and intended species*

Dry foods Semi-moist foods Moist foods
(<20% moisture) (20 to <65% moisture) (≥65% moisture)

Dogs
Light (also “lite,” “low calorie”) 3,100 kcal ME/kg as fed 2,500 kcal ME/kg as fed 900 kcal ME/kg as fed
Lean (also “low fat”) 9% fat as fed 7% fat as fed 4% fat as fed

Cats
Light (also “lite,” “low calorie”) 3,250 kcal ME/kg as fed 2,650 kcal ME/kg as fed 950 kcal ME/kg as fed
Lean (also “low fat”) 10% fat as fed 8% fat as fed 5% fat as fed
Key: ME = metabolizable energy.
*“Light” (or similar terms) on pet food labels must bear a calorie content statement as described in AAFCO PF9. “Lean” and “low fat” pet
food labels must bear a maximum percentage crude fat guarantee.

“Less” or “Reduced Calories”
For dog or cat food labels bearing a claim of “less calories,” “reduced calories” or similar words, a maximum level of calories is not stip-
ulated in the regulations. However, the percentage of reduction and the product of comparison must be explicitly stated on the label. The
product label must also bear a calorie content statement and feeding directions should reflect a reduction in calories compared with feed-
ing directions for the product of comparison. Comparisons between products in different categories of moisture content are considered
misleading.
“Less” or “Reduced Fat”
For dog or cat food labels bearing the claims of “less fat,” “reduced fat” or similar words, a maximum percentage of fat is not stipulated
in the regulations. However, the percentage of reduction and the product of comparison must be explicitly stated on the label. The prod-
uct label must also bear a maximum crude fat guarantee immediately after the minimum crude fat guarantee in the mandatory guaran-
teed analysis information. Comparisons between products in different categories of moisture content are considered misleading.

The Bibliography for Box 27-6 can be found at www.markmorris.org.
David A. Dzanis, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVN
Dzanis Consulting & Collaborations
Santa Clarita, CA, USA

more than 3.4 kcal (14.2 kJ) metabolizable energy (ME)/g on ries of an equivalent weight of carbohydrate or protein. In addi-
a dry matter (DM) basis. tion, fat is a very efficiently digested and metabolized source of
For energy-restricted foods for weight loss in cats, the ener- energy. In one study, overweight dogs fed restricted calories
gy density should be no more than 3.4 kcal (14.2 kJ) ME/g from a food containing more fat lost less body weight and body
DM. For prevention of weight regain in cats following weight fat than did overweight dogs fed equivalent calories from a food
reduction, the energy density of the food should be no more containing less fat (Borne et al, 1996). The thermal effect of
than 3.8 kcal (15.9 kJ) ME/g DM. Pet food manufacturers dietary fat is less than the TEF of dietary carbohydrate or pro-
decrease the energy density of foods by reducing fat and simul- tein in obese people (Swaminathan et al, 1985). Studies in peo-
taneously increasing the fiber, air or moisture content of the ple have also determined that the lipid in body fat stores comes
food. primarily from dietary fat, whereas an increased TEF is more
closely correlated with carbohydrate intake (Danforth, 1985).
Fat Thus, a food with more calories supplied from fat will tend to
Most typical maintenance-type pet foods contain more fat than support retention of body weight and body fat even when total
do energy-restricted foods. Fat has about 2.25 times the calo- calories consumed are reduced.