We all know what our twenty-first century lifestyle is doing to our health. Eating more fatty foods and getting less regular exercise means that more and more people are overweight. In some developed countries more than half the population is affected.

It appears that our four-legged friends suffer from the same fate. According to the Swiss Beobachter magazine (in German), between 30% and 50% of dogs and cats in Swiss households are overweight. The causes are not that much different than for their two-legged masters: serving portions are too big, and pets that spend the whole day alone indoors don't get enough exercise.

Beobachter also gives some insight into how the marketing department gets involved. The target audience for the pet food manufacturer is not just the pet, but also its owner. If the owner opens a package of pet food and it smells good, he is likely to dish out more of it. Unfortunately, what might smell appealing to the owner can be overpowering to the more sensitive noses of our furry friends. Therefore the pet food research labs face the challenge of finding a recipe that will make everyone happy: A recipe that gives the owner a quick burst of aroma when the package is first opened, but that quickly dissipates so that Fifi will like it too.