Latest news with #EleanorRaffan
Newsweek
01-05-2025
- Health
- Newsweek
Internet Can't Cope With Labrador's Reaction to First Ever Strawberry
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A video of a dog attempting to eat a strawberry "nicely" has gone viral on TikTok. The video was posted by @laurenpdavies and has garnered over 179,000 views since it was shared on March 20. Text overlaid on the clip reads: "POV [point of view] you try strawberry for the first time." "Nicely," a voice off-camera says as a hand brings the strawberry close to the dog's nose. "Bite nicely," the voice continues, as the pup is shown gently licking and nibbling on the piece of fruit. The voice repeats "nicely" before saying "good boy," as the pup then remains still before tucking into the strawberry again with gentle bites. After a brief pause, the Labrador takes bigger bites, attempting to grab the strawberry out of the hand as the voice says, "Nicely, that's not nice." "The way it started nicely and then he went in for a big bite," noted the caption shared with the post. The dog's eagerness to devour the strawberry could be down to genetics, according to a Cambridge University study published in Cell Metabolism back in May 2016. Eleanor Raffan, a co-author of the study, said: "There is some hard-wired biology behind that persistent food-seeking behavior," The Guardian reported at the time of the study's release. Among the dog breeds for which data were reported, Labrador retrievers were "shown to be more food motivated than other breeds," the study noted. According to the study, Labradors have "the greatest documented obesity prevalence" and some have a mutation in their DNA that could predispose them to weight gain. The study found that a deletion in the pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) gene was "associated with increased body weight, adiposity and food motivation in both Labrador retrievers as well as the closely related flat-coat retrievers." 'So Funny' TikTok users loved the dog's adorable antics in the viral clip. User bogiebeaumont said: "So funny, almost had your hand at the end." User @torixoxo1982 noted: "That noise of him chomping away. Too cute!" Helen said it was "the best chompy chomps," and SoloDolo wrote: "Dog asmr is the best." User sophieleanne_ said: "Ahhh he's so gorgeous! Going in for the big bite when you hadn't said nicely for a few seconds, he definitely took advantage, so technically he's done as he's told and still a good boy x." Klaudia Keziah noted: "He's like how much nicer can I do it," and Kat wrote: "He's like listen I tired." Newsweek has contacted the original poster for comment via TikTok. This video has not been independently verified. Stock image: A view of a strawberry being held near a Labrador retriever's nose. Stock image: A view of a strawberry being held near a Labrador retriever's nose. iStock / Getty Images Plus Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@ with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Labradors' overeating gene may explain human obesity risk, researchers say
The Brief A new study from the University of Cambridge found that Labradors and humans share a key gene linked to obesity. The DENND1B gene influences hunger signals in the brain, making those with the variant more prone to overeating. Researchers say the findings shed light on how genetic risk contributes to obesity in humans. LOS ANGELES - Scientists studying Labrador retrievers—a breed known for its insatiable appetite—have discovered a genetic link between obesity in dogs and humans. The DENND1B gene, previously linked to obesity in people, was found to alter hunger signals in Labradors, making them more prone to overeating. Researchers at the University of Cambridge analyzed the genetics of 250 Labradors and found that dogs carrying this gene variant had about 8% more body fat than those without it. Dr. Eleanor Raffan, the study's lead researcher, emphasized that genetic predisposition plays a significant role in weight gain. "Owners of slim dogs are not morally superior. The same is true of slim people," Raffan said. "If you have a high genetic risk of obesity, then when there's lots of food available, you're prone to overeating and gaining weight unless you put a huge effort into not doing so." By the numbers Obesity in dogs and humans is influenced by both genetic and environmental factors. Just as humans with high genetic risk can manage their weight through diet and exercise, the study found that Labrador owners who strictly controlled food intake and activity helped prevent obesity in their dogs—even in genetically predisposed ones. 40-60% of pet dogs are overweight or obese, similar to human obesity rates. Labradors with the DENND1B gene had 8% more body fat than those without it. US obesity rates exceed 42%, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy target brain pathways that regulate appetite. Dr. Alyce McClellan, joint first author of the study, noted that while this research helps scientists understand how genes influence eating behavior, it doesn't immediately translate to weight-loss drugs. "These genes are not immediately obvious targets for weight-loss drugs, because they control other key biological processes in the body that should not be interfered with," McClellan explained. However, the study reinforces the importance of fundamental brain pathways in controlling appetite and body weight. What's next The discovery strengthens the case that obesity is not simply a matter of willpower, but a complex interaction between genetics and environment. While drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy target hormones that regulate appetite, the study suggests that brain pathways controlling hunger signals may hold additional insights into why some people are more prone to weight gain. For pet owners, researchers recommend strategies to manage a dog's food intake, including puzzle feeders and scattering food to slow eating and increase mental stimulation. "Studying the dogs meant we had reason to focus on this particular gene, which has led to a big advance in understanding how our own brain controls our eating behavior and energy use," Raffan said. As scientists continue to explore genetic influences on obesity, this study highlights that solutions may not be one-size-fits-all, but tailored to individual biology—whether human or canine. The Source This report is based on findings published in Science, with statements from University of Cambridge researchers and data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Yahoo
09-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Researchers sniff out obesity link between labradors, humans
(NewsNation) — British researchers say the gene that drives some labrador retrievers to overeat and gain weight is also found in humans. The connection between dogs and people surfaced after scientists studied 250 labradors and looked for commonalities in the obese dogs of the group. One culprit, they determined, is a gene known as DENND1B, which regulates appetite and energy. The gene is also present in humans, and variants within people are likewise associated with obesity. About half of Americans approve of using weight-loss drugs: Poll 'Owners of slim dogs are not morally superior. The same is true of slim people,' said lead researcher Eleanor Raffan of the University of Cambridge's Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience. 'If you have a high genetic risk of obesity, then when there's lots of food available you're prone to overeating and gaining weight unless you put a huge effort into not doing so.' The study could help in the development of drugs that fight obesity and prevent health problems associated with being overweight. Dogs are a good model for the study of human obesity, the researchers said, because canines can become obese through similar environmental influences. 'This work shows how similar dogs are to humans genetically,' Raffan said. 'Studying the dogs meant we had reason to focus on this particular gene, which has led to a big advance in understanding how our own brain controls our eating behavior and energy use.' Study findings were published in the journal 'Science' last week. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
BBC News
07-03-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Genetic drive to overeat found in labradors and humans
Dogs that are constantly hungry and prone to being overweight share a common bit of biology with some obesity-prone humans. This is what UK scientists have discovered - identifying a genetic source of many labradors' - and some people's - tendency to overeat. Researchers found that changes in a particular gene, one of the building blocks of biological code that produces the blueprint for how our bodies work, alters the chemical signals that tell our brains we've had enough to eat. The scientists say their findings, published in the journal Science, reveal something "powerful" about the biology of obesity risk. "By studying dogs, we've honed in on some interesting new biology here," explained lead researcher Dr Eleanor Raffan from the University of Cambridge's department of physiology, development and neuroscience. She added that the discovery showed that "owners of slim dogs are not morally superior - and the same is true of slim people". "If you have a high genetic risk of obesity, you're prone to gaining weight unless you put a huge effort into not doing so. And those with low genetic risk just don't have to work so hard." This canine-human biological link came from the researchers' examination of the genetics of 250 labradors. The team looked for pieces of genetic code that were common in overweight dogs. They picked out one gene in particular - called DENND1B - that was associated with a higher body mass in the labradors. And when they searched through a library of genetic information from thousands of humans, they discovered that the same gene was associated with a higher body mass in people, too. Before this study of labrador genetics, Dr Raffan said, "no one suspected that gene had anything to do with obesity". The gene interferes with a brain signalling pathway that helps regulate our appetite. Dr Raffan explained: "It alters the predisposition to weight gain because it's tweaking a system that is involved in regulating how hungry we feel and how much energy we burn off." The findings could help in the future development of new drugs to tackle obesity. But the scientists say they reveal how much harder people - and owners of dogs - with this genetic predisposition have to work to offset its effects. Another member of the research team, Alyce McClellan, from Cambridge University added that the results emphasised "the importance of fundamental brain pathways in controlling appetite and body weight". Weight loss drugs may boost health in many ways Why fat labradors can blame their genes The discovery adds to a developing picture of those pathways and the biological driving forces behind overeating. A group of weight loss drugs, that includes Ozempic, target some of this biology, and have exploded in popularity in recent years. What we've identified here is a different pathway [from the one targeted by those drugs]," explained Dr Raffan. "But it all speaks to the same important bit of biology, which is that obesity is not about having low willpower. "It's about the fact that some people are prone to weight gain because they have a genetic risk which increases their responsiveness to food and their appetite. "This goes for dogs and humans alike - they have a genetic drive to overeat."
Sky News
07-03-2025
- Health
- Sky News
Labradors and humans share genes which make them more likely to become obese, study finds
Labradors and humans share multiple genes associated with obesity, researchers have found. Scientists at the University of Cambridge found the gene most strongly linked with obesity in Labradors is called DENND1B. The gene is carried by humans and is also linked to obesity in people, according to a new study. It was found to directly affect a brain pathway responsible for regulating the energy balance in the body. Four further genes associated with canine obesity, but to a lesser extent, were also found - and are also carried by humans. "We measured how much dogs pestered their owners for food and whether they were fussy eaters," said Natalie Wallis, one of the authors of the report. "Dogs at high genetic risk of obesity showed signs of having [a] higher appetite, as has also been shown for people at high genetic risk of obesity." The study found that dog owners who strictly controlled their pets' diet and exercise managed to prevent even those with high genetic risk from becoming obese - but much more attention and effort was required. Similarly, the researchers said, people at high genetic risk of developing obesity will not necessarily become obese - but they are more prone to weight gain. As with human obesity, no single gene determined whether the dogs were prone to obesity - the net effect of multiple genetic variants determined whether dogs were at high or low risk. "Studying the dogs showed us something really powerful: owners of slim dogs are not morally superior," says Dr Eleanor Raffan, who led the study published in the journal Science. "The same is true of slim people. If you have a high genetic risk of obesity, then when there's lots of food available, you're prone to overeating and gaining weight unless you put a huge effort into not doing so." Roughly 40-60% of pet dogs are overweight or obese, which can lead to a range of health problems. The figure is currently mirrored in humans.
