Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41068901›Full record

ArticleBMC veterinary research2025

Morphometric changes in overweight horses following 10-week weight loss programs.

Anna Garland, David A van Doorn, Robin van den Boom, Ellen Roelfsema, Lola Jung, Madeline Boast, Katerina Papadakis, Mary Margiotta, Samara Wafelbakker, Morgan Briggs and 2 more

Abstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in BMC veterinary research, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Anna GarlandDepartment of Animal Biosciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada.
David A van DoornDepartment of Farm Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 112, Utrecht, 3584 CM, The Netherlands.
Robin van den BoomDepartment of Equine Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 112, Utrecht, 3584 CM, The Netherlands.
Ellen RoelfsemaDepartment of Equine Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 112, Utrecht, 3584 CM, The Netherlands.
Lola JungDepartment of Animal Biosciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada.
Madeline BoastDepartment of Animal Biosciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada.
Katerina PapadakisDepartment of Animal Biosciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada.
Mary MargiottaDepartment of Animal Biosciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada.
Samara WafelbakkerDepartment of Animal Biosciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada.
Morgan BriggsDepartment of Animal Biosciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada.
Persephone McCraeDepartment of Animal Biosciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada.
Wendy PearsonDepartment of Animal Biosciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada. wpearson@uoguelph.ca.

Funding

Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada RGPIN-2020-05823
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundUp to 70% of horses in domestic equine populations are overweight. Promotion of weight loss is an important component of limiting the detrimental co-morbidities associated with excess adipose tissue. The use of a body condition score (BCS) can help equine caregivers track their horse's weight-status. However, this single score doesn't reflect changes in individual adipose depots. The purpose of this study was to characterize morphometric changes (including 8 anatomic BCS measurements that make up the whole-BCS) in horses during 3 different weight-loss programs over 10 weeks.

methodsThirty-two horses were randomly assigned to one of three weight loss groups [exercise (E; fed to 100% digestible energy (DE) requirements, exercise 5x/week), feed restriction (FR; fed to 85% DE requirements, no exercise), or feed restriction and exercise (FRE; 85% DE, exercise 5x/week)], or a weight-maintained control (C; 100% DE, no exercise)] for 10 weeks. Horses were fed individualized diets formulated to meet their nutritional requirements. Outcome measures were recorded at weeks 1, 5 and 10, and included 11 morphometric measurements [body weight (BW) via weight tape, cresty neck score (CNS), and 8 individual BCSs (neck, shoulder, leg, withers, ribs, back, haunches, and tailhead) and a whole-BCS)]. Data were analyzed using a 2-Way RM ANOVA with respect to treatment group and week.

resultsAll 4 groups (including controls) had a significant reduction in BW and whole BCS. At week 10 whole BCS was lower in FRE than controls. All groups had a reduction in back, haunches, leg and shoulder; FR, FRE and E horses had reductions in rib BCS; E and FRE horses had reductions in tailhead BCS and CNS.

conclusionIn conclusion, all weight loss strategies produced significant weight loss, but only those strategies which included exercise reduced fat deposits known to be implicated in metabolic dysregulation in obese horses. Future studies should explore the optimum exercise load (duration and intensity) to facilitate loss of fat from these areas.

Indexed as

Horse DiseasesOverweightWeight LossAnimalsBody CompositionFemaleHorsesMalePhysical Conditioning, AnimalAdipose tissueBody condition scoringEquineExerciseFeed restrictionWeight-loss

Identifiers

PMID41068901
PMCPMC12512596

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.