LIFE SPAN STUDY
A Groundbreaking 14-year Study*
A groundbreaking 14-year study by Purina researchers showed that dogs fed to an ideal body condition** throughout their lives had a median life span of 1.8 years longer - and were considerably healthier - than their littermates.(1) And although the dogs in the study generally developed the same health conditions as they aged, treatment for those conditions was delayed approximately two years for the lean-fed dogs.
This study was groundbreaking in a number of ways, and its findings have changed the way we look at the connection between nutrition and health:
First completed study of its kind to last the entire life span of a larger mammal
14-year study conducted at Purina Pet Care Center in Missouri
48 dogs were paired, then randomly placed in two different groups
All dogs received the same 100 percent nutritionally complete and balanced foods - only the amount differed.
First completed study to document that feeding to an ideal body condition increases survival time in mammals larger than rodents.
*JAVMA, Vol. 220, No. 9, May1, 2002, pp.1315-1320
**Lean or ideal body condition refers to the evaluation of body physique in pets as an indicator of their overall health and well-being, generally falling into three categories: too heavy, ideal and too thin.

Life Span Study: Methodology*
Research team: The Purina Life Span Study was conducted at the Purina Pet Care Center in Gray Summit, MO by a team of scientists led by Richard Kealy, PhD, from the Nestlé Purina Pet Nutrition Research Department and researchers from several universities. The 14-year study, which began in 1987 and concluded in 2001, is the first completed diet restriction study to encompass the entire life span of a larger mammal.
Subjects: Forty-eight dogs were paired within their litters according to gender and body weight, and were randomly assigned to either a control or lean-fed group. For the first three years, the control group was fed an unlimited amount of food during 15-minute daily feedings; afterwards they were fed an amount estimated to be the caloric requirement for large breed dogs in “normal” body condition. Each dog in the lean-fed group always received 75 percent of the amount eaten by its paired littermate. All dogs consumed the same diets, which were 100 percent nutritionally complete and balanced (first a puppy formula, then an adult formula) -- only the quantity provided was different.
Assessment: Dogs were weighed weekly as puppies, periodically as adolescents and weekly as adults. Beginning at six years of age, each was evaluated annually using the Purina Body Condition System, a standard developed by Purina scientists and used by veterinarians to assess body condition in dogs and cats. They were also evaluated annually for body fat, lean body mass and bone mass and other health condition indicators including glucose and fat levels in the blood.
*JAVMA, Vol. 220, No. 9, May1, 2002, pp.1315-1320
Life Span Study: Findings*
Lean-fed dogs, who received 25 percent less food than their littermates in the control group, lived a median of 15 percent (1.8 years) longer than control dogs. Median life span (the age at which 50 percent of the dogs in the group remained alive) was 11.2 years in the control group and 13.0 years in the lean-fed group.
In addition, treatment for certain health conditions was delayed in the lean-fed dogs. The median age at which 50 percent of the dogs required treatment for certain health conditions was 12.0 years among lean-fed dogs, compared to 9.9 years for the control group.
On average, the lean-fed dogs weighed less, had a lower percentage of body fat and experienced a two-year delay in the loss of lean body mass as they aged, compared to the control group.
Lean-fed dogs were observed by researchers to have fewer visible signs normally associated with aging such as graying muzzles than did control dogs.
*JAVMA, Vol. 220, No. 9, May1, 2002, pp.1315-1320
The Body Condition System*
The Purina Life Span Study has shown how proper nutrition fed in proper quantities over a lifetime can help extend a dog’s life.
As an owner, keeping your dog in ideal body condition starts by choosing a 100 percent nutritionally complete and balanced dog food like Purina® Dog Chow® brand Dog Food.
Then, you should work with your veterinarian to evaluate your dog and come up with a plan to maintain your dog at ideal body condition. An ideal body condition rating is based on the Purina Body Condition System, which has been updated and refined based on the findings of the Purina Life Span Study.
The Body Condition System is a 9-point scale used by veterinarians. Evaluation is made by visual observation and by feeling the dog’s body. As a rule, dogs should be maintained at a 4 or 5 on this scale. Unfortunately, many dogs in America today are too heavy, and many owners tend to think their dogs are leaner than they actually are. That’s why it’s important to work with your veterinarian to evaluate and develop a feeding plan for your dog.
*JAVMA, Vol. 220, No. 9, May1, 2002, pp.1315-1320
Ideal Body Condition*
Lean or ideal body condition refers to the evaluation of body physique in pets as an indicator of their overall health and well-being, generally falling into three categories: too heavy, ideal and too thin. But how do you know?
*JAVMA, Vol. 220, No. 9, May1, 2002, pp.1315-1320
How Does Your Dog Rate?
The Purina Life Span Study shows how complete and balanced nutrition, fed in amounts to maintain a dog’s ideal body condition throughout his life, can help extend your dog's healthy years.
Body Condition: Too Thin
Dogs that are too thin may not be getting the nutrition they need. You may need to adjust feeding amounts or exercise amounts to reach an appropriate balance. Since this condition can have an impact on overall health, it is important that you see your veterinarian if you think your dog is too thin.
FEEDING GUIDELINE:
Increase the amount you are feeding. Adjust until dog exhibits ideal body condition.
TIPS FOR OWNERS:
Follow A Nutrition Plan: You and your veterinarian can create a nutrition plan that feeds your dog to his ideal body condition. Refer to the Purina® Life Plan® found on many Purina® product packages.
Measure Each Serving: Don’t guess. Follow the feeding guidelines on Purina® packages to give your dog the proper-size serving for his ideal body condition.
Limit Treats: Shower your dog with love and attention instead of too many high-calorie treats, especially table scraps. If your dog needs more calories, it’s better that they come from nutritionally complete and balanced dog food. Be mindful of the quality and quantity of treats you feed each day.
Get Moving: Daily exercise is one of the keys to your dog’s health. If your dog is too thin, make sure your dog is getting enough energy in his food to support the exercise he does. Be sure to check with your veterinarian before changing your dog’s exercise routine.
Body Condition: Ideal
Dogs that are fed to maintain ideal body condition are in the best position to have long, healthy lives, and are more likely to experience a delay in the need for treatment of certain health conditions compared to dogs that are too heavy. It is important that you try to maintain this condition, which means regular evaluations and adjustments as needed.
FEEDING GUIDELINE:
Maintain current feeding regimen.
TIPS FOR OWNERS:
Check For Weight Fluctuation: Although your dog is at ideal body condition now, that can change. Ask your veterinarian for help identifying weight fluctuations in your dog. Use the Purina Body Condition System to evaluate your dog regularly and make adjustments if you see a change.
Follow A Nutrition Plan: You and your veterinarian can create a nutrition plan that helps keep your dog at his ideal body condition. Refer to the Purina® Life Plan® found on many Purina® product packages.
Measure Each Serving: Don’t guess. Follow the feeding guidelines on Purina® packages to give your dog the proper-size serving for his ideal body condition.
Limit Treats: Shower your dog with love and attention instead of too many high-calorie treats, especially table scraps. Be mindful of the quality and quantity of treats you feed each day – calories can add up quickly.
Get Moving: Daily exercise is one of the keys to your dog’s health. Just walking or playing fetch each day can help keep your dog fit. Be sure to check with your veterinarian before changing your dog’s exercise routine.
Body Condition: Too Heavy
Unfortunately, it is very common for dogs to be too heavy. Excess weight is unhealthy in a variety of ways, so you should see your veterinarian if you think your dog is too heavy. You will want to make adjustments to help your dog reach and maintain ideal body condition.
FEEDING GUIDELINE:
Reduce the amount you are feeding or feed a weight management formula.
TIPS FOR OWNERS:
Check For Excess Weight and Obesity: Ask your veterinarian for help in recognizing signs of excess weight and obesity in your dog. Use the Purina Body Condition System to see if your dog is too heavy, too thin or at ideal body condition.
Follow A Nutrition Plan: You and your veterinarian can create a nutrition plan that helps feed your dog to his ideal body condition. Refer to the Purina® Life Plan® found on many Purina® product packages.
Measure Each Serving: Don’t just fill up your dog’s bowl at each feeding. Follow the feeding guidelines on Purina® packages to give your dog the proper-size serving for his ideal body condition.
Limit Treats: Shower your dog with love and attention instead of too many high-calorie treats, especially table scraps. Be mindful of the quality and quantity of treats you feed each day – calories can add up quickly.
Get Moving: Daily exercise is one of the keys to your dog’s health. Just walking or playing fetch each day can help keep your dog fit. Be sure to check with your veterinarian before changing your dog’s exercise routine.
A groundbreaking 14-year study by Purina researchers showed that dogs fed to an ideal body condition** throughout their lives had a median life span of 1.8 years longer - and were considerably healthier - than their littermates.(1) And although the dogs in the study generally developed the same health conditions as they aged, treatment for those conditions was delayed approximately two years for the lean-fed dogs.
This study was groundbreaking in a number of ways, and its findings have changed the way we look at the connection between nutrition and health:
First completed study of its kind to last the entire life span of a larger mammal
14-year study conducted at Purina Pet Care Center in Missouri
48 dogs were paired, then randomly placed in two different groups
All dogs received the same 100 percent nutritionally complete and balanced foods - only the amount differed.
First completed study to document that feeding to an ideal body condition increases survival time in mammals larger than rodents.
*JAVMA, Vol. 220, No. 9, May1, 2002, pp.1315-1320
**Lean or ideal body condition refers to the evaluation of body physique in pets as an indicator of their overall health and well-being, generally falling into three categories: too heavy, ideal and too thin.

Life Span Study: Methodology*
Research team: The Purina Life Span Study was conducted at the Purina Pet Care Center in Gray Summit, MO by a team of scientists led by Richard Kealy, PhD, from the Nestlé Purina Pet Nutrition Research Department and researchers from several universities. The 14-year study, which began in 1987 and concluded in 2001, is the first completed diet restriction study to encompass the entire life span of a larger mammal.
Subjects: Forty-eight dogs were paired within their litters according to gender and body weight, and were randomly assigned to either a control or lean-fed group. For the first three years, the control group was fed an unlimited amount of food during 15-minute daily feedings; afterwards they were fed an amount estimated to be the caloric requirement for large breed dogs in “normal” body condition. Each dog in the lean-fed group always received 75 percent of the amount eaten by its paired littermate. All dogs consumed the same diets, which were 100 percent nutritionally complete and balanced (first a puppy formula, then an adult formula) -- only the quantity provided was different.
Assessment: Dogs were weighed weekly as puppies, periodically as adolescents and weekly as adults. Beginning at six years of age, each was evaluated annually using the Purina Body Condition System, a standard developed by Purina scientists and used by veterinarians to assess body condition in dogs and cats. They were also evaluated annually for body fat, lean body mass and bone mass and other health condition indicators including glucose and fat levels in the blood.
*JAVMA, Vol. 220, No. 9, May1, 2002, pp.1315-1320
Life Span Study: Findings*
Lean-fed dogs, who received 25 percent less food than their littermates in the control group, lived a median of 15 percent (1.8 years) longer than control dogs. Median life span (the age at which 50 percent of the dogs in the group remained alive) was 11.2 years in the control group and 13.0 years in the lean-fed group.
In addition, treatment for certain health conditions was delayed in the lean-fed dogs. The median age at which 50 percent of the dogs required treatment for certain health conditions was 12.0 years among lean-fed dogs, compared to 9.9 years for the control group.
On average, the lean-fed dogs weighed less, had a lower percentage of body fat and experienced a two-year delay in the loss of lean body mass as they aged, compared to the control group.
Lean-fed dogs were observed by researchers to have fewer visible signs normally associated with aging such as graying muzzles than did control dogs.
*JAVMA, Vol. 220, No. 9, May1, 2002, pp.1315-1320
The Body Condition System*
The Purina Life Span Study has shown how proper nutrition fed in proper quantities over a lifetime can help extend a dog’s life.
As an owner, keeping your dog in ideal body condition starts by choosing a 100 percent nutritionally complete and balanced dog food like Purina® Dog Chow® brand Dog Food.
Then, you should work with your veterinarian to evaluate your dog and come up with a plan to maintain your dog at ideal body condition. An ideal body condition rating is based on the Purina Body Condition System, which has been updated and refined based on the findings of the Purina Life Span Study.
The Body Condition System is a 9-point scale used by veterinarians. Evaluation is made by visual observation and by feeling the dog’s body. As a rule, dogs should be maintained at a 4 or 5 on this scale. Unfortunately, many dogs in America today are too heavy, and many owners tend to think their dogs are leaner than they actually are. That’s why it’s important to work with your veterinarian to evaluate and develop a feeding plan for your dog.
*JAVMA, Vol. 220, No. 9, May1, 2002, pp.1315-1320
Ideal Body Condition*
Lean or ideal body condition refers to the evaluation of body physique in pets as an indicator of their overall health and well-being, generally falling into three categories: too heavy, ideal and too thin. But how do you know?
*JAVMA, Vol. 220, No. 9, May1, 2002, pp.1315-1320
How Does Your Dog Rate?
The Purina Life Span Study shows how complete and balanced nutrition, fed in amounts to maintain a dog’s ideal body condition throughout his life, can help extend your dog's healthy years.
Body Condition: Too Thin
Dogs that are too thin may not be getting the nutrition they need. You may need to adjust feeding amounts or exercise amounts to reach an appropriate balance. Since this condition can have an impact on overall health, it is important that you see your veterinarian if you think your dog is too thin.
FEEDING GUIDELINE:
Increase the amount you are feeding. Adjust until dog exhibits ideal body condition.
TIPS FOR OWNERS:
Follow A Nutrition Plan: You and your veterinarian can create a nutrition plan that feeds your dog to his ideal body condition. Refer to the Purina® Life Plan® found on many Purina® product packages.
Measure Each Serving: Don’t guess. Follow the feeding guidelines on Purina® packages to give your dog the proper-size serving for his ideal body condition.
Limit Treats: Shower your dog with love and attention instead of too many high-calorie treats, especially table scraps. If your dog needs more calories, it’s better that they come from nutritionally complete and balanced dog food. Be mindful of the quality and quantity of treats you feed each day.
Get Moving: Daily exercise is one of the keys to your dog’s health. If your dog is too thin, make sure your dog is getting enough energy in his food to support the exercise he does. Be sure to check with your veterinarian before changing your dog’s exercise routine.
Body Condition: Ideal
Dogs that are fed to maintain ideal body condition are in the best position to have long, healthy lives, and are more likely to experience a delay in the need for treatment of certain health conditions compared to dogs that are too heavy. It is important that you try to maintain this condition, which means regular evaluations and adjustments as needed.
FEEDING GUIDELINE:
Maintain current feeding regimen.
TIPS FOR OWNERS:
Check For Weight Fluctuation: Although your dog is at ideal body condition now, that can change. Ask your veterinarian for help identifying weight fluctuations in your dog. Use the Purina Body Condition System to evaluate your dog regularly and make adjustments if you see a change.
Follow A Nutrition Plan: You and your veterinarian can create a nutrition plan that helps keep your dog at his ideal body condition. Refer to the Purina® Life Plan® found on many Purina® product packages.
Measure Each Serving: Don’t guess. Follow the feeding guidelines on Purina® packages to give your dog the proper-size serving for his ideal body condition.
Limit Treats: Shower your dog with love and attention instead of too many high-calorie treats, especially table scraps. Be mindful of the quality and quantity of treats you feed each day – calories can add up quickly.
Get Moving: Daily exercise is one of the keys to your dog’s health. Just walking or playing fetch each day can help keep your dog fit. Be sure to check with your veterinarian before changing your dog’s exercise routine.
Body Condition: Too Heavy
Unfortunately, it is very common for dogs to be too heavy. Excess weight is unhealthy in a variety of ways, so you should see your veterinarian if you think your dog is too heavy. You will want to make adjustments to help your dog reach and maintain ideal body condition.
FEEDING GUIDELINE:
Reduce the amount you are feeding or feed a weight management formula.
TIPS FOR OWNERS:
Check For Excess Weight and Obesity: Ask your veterinarian for help in recognizing signs of excess weight and obesity in your dog. Use the Purina Body Condition System to see if your dog is too heavy, too thin or at ideal body condition.
Follow A Nutrition Plan: You and your veterinarian can create a nutrition plan that helps feed your dog to his ideal body condition. Refer to the Purina® Life Plan® found on many Purina® product packages.
Measure Each Serving: Don’t just fill up your dog’s bowl at each feeding. Follow the feeding guidelines on Purina® packages to give your dog the proper-size serving for his ideal body condition.
Limit Treats: Shower your dog with love and attention instead of too many high-calorie treats, especially table scraps. Be mindful of the quality and quantity of treats you feed each day – calories can add up quickly.
Get Moving: Daily exercise is one of the keys to your dog’s health. Just walking or playing fetch each day can help keep your dog fit. Be sure to check with your veterinarian before changing your dog’s exercise routine.