There is heightened awareness of the adverse consequences of having that extra flab on the body. There have been anti-obesity drives in some parts of the world where the condition is wreaking havoc on human health.
While people have been urged to maintain an active and healthy lifestyle by various health watchdogs, some NGOs have pulled up fast food giants for aggravating the problem of obesity by offering unhealthy food options in their men.
The need for shedding that extra weight has now percolated to man’s best friend. And United States in is the limelight again.
Magnitude of the problem
Various studies have established that a third of the young people in US are obese. Now a latest study reveals that half of America’s dogs are also overweight.
Interested in exact numbers? Data available with the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention (APOP) suggests that close to 36.7 million or 53 percent of the dogs in the United States have that unwanted extra weight on them.
Akin to humans, dogs too can confront obesity linked problems like orthopedic problems, respiratory problems and heart problems. The threat of diabetes of course, also looms large in such overweight dogs.
So while the issue is a cause of concern, it also represents an opportunity to cash on. Little wonder that numerous weight loss spas are mushrooming up across the country promising dog owners to help their chubby pet get back in shape.
So what do we have; yoga, treadmills, indoor swimming pool and exercise balls, not for humans, but for dogs.
Dog owners are satisfied, in fact happy, with dogs going to the gyms and ‘working out.’
“When you see her (dog’s) tail is wagging, her little feet are moving, she’s not stressed, she’s moving easily. It makes me very, very happy,” said an ecstatic owner whose miniature dachshund, Lola is a member of a ‘fat camp’ for dogs.
But good things come at a price. The Paradise Pet Lodge in Washington charges a hefty $75 for a one hour session. Somebody would say it is little price for canines to relieve ‘excess tension and stiffness’.
