People And Pets Exercising Together
The People and Pets Exercising Together (P-PET) program is proven to be a safe, effective, and enjoyable way for people and pets to lose weight and maintain weight loss. By participating in a weight loss program with your pet, you can improve the quality of life for you and your pet through increased exercise, a strengthened human-animal bond, and a fun and motivating way to trim down together.
Check out Dr. Marty Becker, DVM and Dr. Robert Kushner, MD's book Fitness Unleashed! A Dog and Owner's Guide to Losing Weight and Gaining Health Together. Dr. Becker and Dr. Kushner have teamed up to create a progressive, fun, and effective weight loss program pet owners just like you.
Summary of the Study
Project P-PET (People and Pets Exercising Together
Conducted by the Wellness Institute of Northwestern Memorial Hospital and Hill's Pet Nutrition.
Principal Investigator:
Robert Kushner, MD, Professor of Medicine, The Feinberg School of Medicine of Northwestern University, and Medical Director, Wellness Institue, Northwestern Memorial Hospital.
Study Summary
Results of the first-ever, 12 month combined people and pet weight management study show that companion dogs can serve as a social support for their owners for weight loss and weight maintenance.
The study consisted of three groups of overweight participants: a dog / owner group (36 people and their dogs), a dog-only group (53 dogs), and a people-only group (56 people). The purpose of the study was to compare the efficacy of weight loss programs for dog-only and people-only groups to that of a combined dog / owner weight loss program for both weight loss and weight maintenance.
During the study, dogs were fed a low-fat, nutritionally balanced pet food, Hill's Prescription Diet r/d Canine, which is specially formulated to help dogs lose weight while keeping them feeling satisfied. In addition, pet owners with dogs in the study were provided with a suggested exercise plan (i.e., 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity at least three days per week) and a regular weigh-in schedule. When the ideal body weight was achieved, the dogs were changed to Prescription Diet w/d Canine pet food until the 12 month study was completed. People were provided with meal plans and pedometers and were instructed on strategies to control dietary calories and increase physical activities.
Over the course of the 12 month study, both people and dogs lost weight and kept it off: people lost an average of 4.4kg (approximately 5% of their initial body weight) and dogs lost an average of 5.4kg (approximately 15.6% of their initial body weight). The maximum weight loss for dogs was 15.5kg; for people, the maximum loss was 23kg.
The P-PET program is proven to be a safe, effective, and enjoyable way for people and pets to lose weight and maintain weight loss. By participating in a weight loss program with your pet, you can improve the quality of life for you and your pet through increased exercise, a strengthened human-animal bond, and a fun and motivating way to trim down together.