Effectiveness of standardized red orange extract (Citrus sinensis) for weight reduction in canine obesity

Abstract

Obesity is the most common nutritional disease in both humans and dogs, currently characterized as a low-intensity inflammatory state. The anthocyanins found in red oranges can assist in combating weight gain and reducing body fat accumulation by reducing lipogenesis and modulating inflammation. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of standardized dried red orange extract in reducing overweight in obese dogs compared to chromium picolinate and a placebo. In total, 23 animals were used in the current study and divided randomly into three experimental groups. All dogs received the same hypocaloric diet and supplementation: standardized Citrus sinensis red-orange extract (G1, n=9), chromium picolinate (G2, n=7), and a placebo-control group (G3, n=7). The dogs were managed by their owners for 90 days. In the distribution of the body condition score (BCS) determined at the beginning of the study, 47.8% of the animals had BCS of 6; 26.1% had BCS of 7; 8.7% had BCS of 8, and 17.4% had BCS of 9. During the program, most of the owners reported being unable to involve other residents of their households in the dogs' treatment. At the end of the experiment, the G1 group had a significant reduction in weight and BCS (p<0.01), as well as in HDL cholesterol levels (p<0.05) when compared to the other groups. It was concluded that incorporating dried red-orange extract into the diet of overweight and obese dogs can lead to weight loss and improved BCS.