Recipient Organization
UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE
2621 MORGAN CIR
KNOXVILLE,TN 37996-4540
Performing Department
Small Animal Clinical Sciences
Non Technical Summary
Accurate assessment of body composition is vital for effective obesity treatment both to establish the need for weight loss and to correctly identify ideal body weight which is used to determine the feeding amount. Currently the most practical and effective method of assessing body composition in clinical practice is Body Condition Scoring (BCS) which suffers two major limitations: (1) Precision and accuracy are highly dependent on the training and skill of the individual doing the assessment. (2) The current body condition scoring scales do not differentiate between levels of obesity. For example, in the 5 point scale all cats greater than 35% body fat fall into a single score of 5. This means that a cat with 60% body fat and one with 36% body fat both receive the same score. This leads to over estimation of ideal body weight and feeding amount for the fatter cat, ultimately resulting in slow or ineffective weight loss. This study will provide information to develop tools to overcome this problem. Additionally, a weight loss trial will be conducted with the cats participating in this study to document the benefits of weight loss through changes in gene activity and provide a more accurate assessment of body composition. This will allow for broader success in weight loss plans which currently are estimated to fail 90% of the time.
Animal Health Component
(N/A)
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
(N/A)
Developmental
(N/A)
Goals / Objectives
The study is confidential and limited information is provided in keeping with the contracted cofidentiality and disclosure agreement. Objectives: 1.) The primary objective is to evaluate various clinical methods of measuring body composition in cats and to validate at least one method for use in the weight management compliance program that is valid in obese cats up to 65% body fat. 2.) The secondary objective is to document the efficacy of of a weight loss plan and calorie restriction in severely obese cats. 3.) This study will also provide blood samples from cats of known body composition for metabalomic and/or genomic profile analysis. Deliverables: 1.) Development new criteria for body composition analysis 2.) Evaluation of morphometric measurement method and bioelectric impedance compared to DEXA. 3.) Documentation of weight loss efficacy of specific caloric intakes. 4.) Addition of data from at least 32 cats to a obesity gene expression database.
Project Methods
Up to 50 obese cats with body fat between 25-65% will be evaluated. Initial screening will include physical exam, CBC, whole blood biochemistry, serum T4 analysis, urinalysis, and radiographs. A whole blood sample for RNA microarray will be collected. If healthy and suitable for anesthesia cats will undergo short-term anesthesia to measure body compositon by DEXA (dual xray asoptiometry). In addition morphometric measures and adiposity descritiptions are systematically characterized. Cats will be assigned into one of four adiposity categories. Statistical analysis using correlation coefficients will determine the best fit for predictive equations using morphometrics and observational data. The equations will be compared to DEXA analysis as the gold standard of body composition. Following categorization, food intake for weight loss will be determined by a nutritionist. Cats will be places on supervised wt loss programs for a period up to two years or until reaching ideal wt. Cats will have monthly monitoring for the first year then every 8 weeks. Half of the cats will wear activity monitors for a 14 day period every 8 weeks of the period that they are enrolled in the study. All cats will remain in the care of their owners. Photographs and video will document weight loss and change in mobility. Phyical examination and repeated CBC, chemistry, and RNA gene microarray will be performed at each 8 week period during weight loss. The biochemical data will be analyzed using a general linear model analysis for repeated measures. Body composistion will be compared to morphometrics and DEXA and previously described. The results will be offered to veterinarians to provide a better method for assessment of body fat. More accurate assessment will allow better food dose determination for successful weight loss. This will allow for broader success in weight loss plans which currently are estimated to fail 90% of the time.