Something to Chew on: Page 12

Nutrition

Pet obesity: Tackling the ‘fat gap’

Two studies released in March show that pet obesity is becoming an all too common problem in developed petfood markets. First, UK's Pet Food Manufacturers’ Association (PFMA) issued “Pet Obesity: Five Years On,” an update to an initial report from 2009. The picture now does not look any better than it did then.

Pet Food Market

US petfood spending keys on wellness, treats

Overall US pet care spending is projected to grow nearly 5% this year, topping out at US$58.5 billion, according to the American Pet Products Association (APPA). Of that, US petfood spending is expected to reach US$22.62 billion by the end of 2014, after increasing 4.5% in 2013 to a total of US$21.57 billion, APPA said.

Pet Food Ingredients

What is GMOs’ role in feeding pets and people?

The global population, currently at about 7.15 billion people, is forecast to grow to 9.6 billion people by 2050, leading to a 69% higher need for food calories, according to the World Resources Institute. Likewise, the world’s pet population is expected to continue to increase, with the fastest growth in places that are also experiencing the most growth in human population or demand for food, such as China and India.