Pet obesity is an epidemic that demands urgent action from every corner of the pet care community. Pet owners, veterinarians, pet food and treat makers, ingredient innovators and regulators all play a role in combating this disease.
At Petfood Forum 2025, Kathy Gross, Ph.D., adjunct professor, and Julia Guazzeli Pezzali, Ph.D., assistant professor, Kansas State University Pet Food Program, will discuss emerging trends and challenges in developing weight management pet foods during their education session on Tuesday, April 29. They will focus on understanding the pet obesity epidemic, exploring nutritional innovations and formulation approaches specifically for overweight and obese pets. In addition, they will discuss the emerging role of gut health and the gut microbiome in obesity, plus practical application of recent research on ingredients to develop effective weight management pet foods.
Probiotics, prebiotics and postbiotics show potential
Although research to understand the role of the gut microbiome in health and disease is rapidly advancing, knowledge of how to modify the gut microbial and host interactions for health benefits is still in early stages. Recent research offers potential for new ways to create better weight management products, noted Gross. For example, the mix of gut bacteria influences digestive processes, energy storage and metabolism and some gut microbial species can make pets more likely to gain weight, whereas other microbial strains may be effective in helping pets with weight loss.
“Changing what pets eat also changes gut microbiome functions so modifying types and amounts of fiber, proteins, fats and starches will influence gut microbial activity as well as body fat storage, hunger signals and metabolism,” said Gross. “Probiotics, prebiotics and/or postbiotic ingredients are new tools to consider when developing effective weight management products. However, the field is still new, and more research is needed to fully understand how to maximize gut health for long-term weight management in pets.”
Probiotics, prebiotics and postbiotics are new tools to consider when developing effective weight management pet food products.Ihtar | Pixabay.comBalancing low calories, essential nutrients
Commercial pet foods for weight management have been available for nearly 90 years, but their formulation requires expertise to balance low calories with all other essential nutrients, maintain good taste and pet appeal, aesthetics, shelf stability and cost-effectiveness. Improper formulation can lead to ineffective or unsafe products, said Pezzali.
“Current U.S. regulations focus on nutrition profiles for normal active pets, not overweight ones,” Pezzali said. “Europe’s FEDIAF has attempted to provide guidance for lower-calorie formulations, and this could be built upon in updated U.S. regulations. Additionally, outdated calorie calculation equations lead to inaccurate feeding guidelines.”
Several scientific publications propose more accurate equations for today’s pet foods. “While state regulators have made progress in modernizing pet food labels, further updates are needed for nutritional guidelines and calorie calculations, considering that modern house pets are often inactive, neutered or spayed, and at high risk of becoming overweight,” added Pezzali.
Innovative solutions for today’s pets
An effective weight management strategy for pets should incorporate foods and treats that meet their calorie and nutrition needs while maintaining a healthy weight. “A modern approach to pet food formulation would recognize that most house pets are sedentary, neutered or spayed, with metabolism designed to store excess calories as fat,” said Pezzali.
For example, some innovative pet food and treat products have combined controlled calories and fat, fiber ingredients and other components that modify metabolism. Pezzali noted published literature that includes data on promising ingredients that positively influence the gut microbiome, alter gut hormones, manage inflammation, or change metabolism such as fish oils, flaxseed, chia seeds, medium-chain triglycerides, L-carnitine, green tea, specific probiotic strains, certain B-vitamins and essential amino acids, with potential in supporting healthy weight in pets.
A revolution in pet nutrition
Looking ahead, Gross and Pezzali anticipate that advancements in gut health research, combined with AI-driven formulation software and even new therapeutic drugs, could further revolutionize weight management in pets over the next five years.
“We need a revolution in pet nutrition, tailored specifically for many pets struggling with excess weight,” said Gross. “By combining heightened awareness with safe, effective, cutting-edge products, we can see a future with fewer overweight and healthier pets.”
Gross noted that over the next five years, research leading to solutions to maximize gut health and strategies to manipulate the gut microbiome for long-term weight management in pets is likely.
“This knowledge could lead to foods, treats and supplements with optimized combinations of macronutrients and micronutrients with prebiotics, postbiotics or probiotics that are effective for preventing weight gain or promoting weight loss,” she said.
It’s also possible that within five years, new therapeutic drugs from human medicine breakthroughs, such as the semaglutide and tirzepatid, will be available for veterinary use to help companion pets battle the bulge. The future of pet health management, particularly for obesity, will also leverage artificial intelligence (AI) tools.
“AI-assisted formulation software could revolutionize the development of specialized weight management products, while computer vision (CV) technology may enable pet owners to easily monitor body composition changes,” said Pezzali. “Smartphone apps integrating AI and CV capabilities could synthesize data from wearable sensors, videos, and photos, offering comprehensive insights into a pet’s activity, fitness, and overall health. These technological advancements would empower pet food makers, veterinarians and pet owners to optimize pet care and weight management with greater precision and ease.”
Kathy Gross, Ph.D., adjunct professor, and Julia Guazzeli Pezzali, Ph.D., assistant professor, Kansas State University Pet Food Program, will present their educational session, Innovating pet nutrition: Combating the pet obesity epidemic with new food approaches and ingredients , on Tuesday, April 29, at 3:10 p.m. during Petfood Forum 2025. To stay informed on the latest event developments, go to PetfoodForumEvents.com.