World Pet Obesity Association
Advancing clinical obesity care for pets worldwide.
WPOA advances evidence-informed standards, education, research, and clinical tools to help veterinary teams recognize, diagnose, treat, and monitor obesity as a chronic disease in dogs and cats.
Our Mission
Building clearer global standards for clinical obesity care.
The World Pet Obesity Association advances the recognition of clinical obesity as a chronic disease state and supports clearer standards for diagnosis, treatment, monitoring, communication, research, and education in dogs and cats.
What We Do
Clinical standards, assessment, and treatment support
Resources and initiatives that support better recognition, communication, treatment planning, and long-term care for companion animal obesity.
Define clinical obesity
Educational resources supporting a clearer understanding of obesity as a chronic clinical condition in companion animals.
Learn moreStandardize assessment
Body and muscle condition tools that help veterinary teams assess, document, and discuss obesity consistently.
View toolsSupport treatment planning
Calculators and resources for energy estimation, feeding guidance, monitoring, and weight-management conversations.
Open calculatorsBuild global participation
Opportunities for clinics, universities, and organizations to contribute to survey work, education, and collaboration.
Get involvedClinical Focus
What clinical obesity means
Clinical obesity describes excess adiposity significant enough to impair an animal’s health, function, or quality of life. It reframes obesity from a cosmetic or weight-only concern into a chronic medical condition that can be assessed, treated, and monitored.
The World Pet Obesity Association helps veterinary teams recognize, define, and manage obesity on clinical terms, with emphasis on long-term health, function, quality of life, and the people who care for these animals.
Clearer clinical language
Moving beyond weight alone toward a more clinically meaningful understanding of obesity.
Better assessment
Supporting consistent use of body condition, muscle condition, clinical history, and diagnostic findings.
Treatment-focused care
Emphasizing nutrition, monitoring, communication, long-term support, and evolving approaches to care.
Featured Resources
Core resources and initiatives
Tools and resources for clinical assessment, communication, treatment planning, and research participation.
Assessment
Body Condition Score Charts
Multilingual dog and cat charts supporting consistent body condition assessment.
View chartsTools
Calorie & Body Condition Calculators
Feeding, energy, weight range, walking energy, and clinical planning tools.
Open calculatorsResearch
2026 Pet Obesity Prevalence Survey
Participate in global efforts to track obesity trends in dogs and cats.
Join the surveyContact
Collaborate with WPOA
For education, research collaboration, clinical resources, or media inquiries, contact the World Pet Obesity Association.
About WPOA
The World Pet Obesity Association supports veterinary teams, educators, researchers, and animal health organizations working to improve the prevention, recognition, diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring of obesity in dogs and cats. WPOA provides clinical education, body condition and muscle condition resources, multilingual charts, communication guidance, prevalence data, and practical tools to support evidence-informed obesity care. The goal is to help veterinary medicine approach pet obesity as a chronic clinical disease that affects health, mobility, quality of life, and long-term patient outcomes.