A new iPhone app was launched by Cornell University to help consumers monitor their pet's calorie intake.

The US$3.99 app, called CUPetHealth, was developed by seven computer science students at Cornell as part of a class project and examined by university veterinary experts for accuracy. Consumers enter their pet's daily diet and several lifestyle factors into the app, which determines the appropriate number of calories each day by responding with "overfeeding," "underfeeding" or "appropriate." The app also keeps track of medication, vaccine and flea control information.

"Nutrition is an ever-growing concern for pets," said Joe Wakshlag, assistant professor at Cornell's Vet College. "The Centers for Disease Control says that America has become 'obesogenic,' meaning that we live in a world that promotes increased food intake, unhealthy food choices and reduced physical activity. Our pets live in the same world and are suffering the same consequences of obesity."