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.* 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 Labrador Retrievers 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.
• Study documented that feeding to an ideal body condition can help extend healthy years in dogs

Read on for more about the study's methodology and findings. Then see how your dog compares.

*JAVMA, Vol. 220, No. 9, May 1, 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.