The role of pet humanization on body condition perception, feeding choices, and obesity in companion animals: Findings from French pet-owners

Background The human–animal relationship has evolved substantially in recent decades, with companion animals increasingly regarded as family members. This phenomenon, known as pet humanization, is associated with anthropomorphic attitudes that may influence feeding practices, perception of body condition, and the development of overweight and obesity in pets. This thesis aimed to investigate the role of pet humanization and the human–animal bond in shaping feeding decisions, body condition perception, and obesity prevalence in companion animals in France. Methods This thesis follows a thesis-by-publication format and integrates three cross-sectional studies conducted in France. The first study involved an online survey comparing owners feeding conventional diets (CD) and non-conventional diets (NCD). The second study assessed owner perception of body condition using both verbal scales and a 9-point Body Condition Score (BCS) system with visual aids. The third study was a multi-center observational survey evaluating the prevalence of overweight and obesity in dogs and associated risk factors. Statistical analyses included chi-squared tests, Fisher’s tests, and logistic regression, with significance set at p < 0,05. Results In the first study, 38% of owners fed NCD and 55% fed CD. Owners feeding NCD relied more frequently on non-veterinary information sources (66%) and less often used veterinary-prescribed diets (8%) compared to CD owners (28%). They also dewormed their dogs less frequently (>1 time/year: 62% vs 89%; p < 0,0001), lived less often in metropolitan areas (9% vs 20%; p = 0,007), and more frequently walked their dogs daily (91% vs 78%; p < 0,0001). In the second study, disagreement between owner perception and objective body condition assessment was substantial, reaching 32.6% using a simple verbal scale and 60% when compared with a 9-point BCS with images. Underestimation was predominant, occurring in 99% of overweight dogs and 100% of underweight dogs. In the third study, the prevalence of overweight and obesity in dogs was 35,3% and 2,3%, respectively. Owner underestimation of body condition was strongly associated with overweight status (OR 74,1). Additional risk factors included age (7–10 years: OR 4,91; ≥11 years: OR 5,81) and sex (female). Conclusions Pet humanization and anthropomorphism significantly influence feeding choices and impair accurate body condition perception, contributing to overweight and obesity in companion animals. The high prevalence of owner misperception highlights the need for improved veterinarian–client communication and targeted educational interventions. Addressing both emotional and cognitive biases is essential to promote evidence-based feeding practices and improve animal health outcomes.