Latest news with #NatalieWallis
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.
Telegraph
06-03-2025
- Health
- Telegraph
Why chubby dogs (and humans) overeat
Chubby Labradors carry the same fat gene as humans, making them crave food and become overweight, scientists have discovered. Nearly 50 per cent of dogs in Britain are thought to be overweight or obese, with indulgent owners often accused of killing with kindness. However, researchers at the University of Cambridge say the owners of slim dogs have no grounds for moral superiority because canine weight gain may be driven by genetics. Their new study showed that some dogs carry the same obesity gene variant as humans, known as DENND1B, which makes them more susceptible to over-eating. The team found that Labradors that carried the gene had around 8 per cent more body fat than those that did not. Natalie Wallis, a doctoral student in the University of Cambridge's department of physiology, development and neuroscience, said: 'We found that dogs at high genetic risk of obesity were more interested in food. 'We measured how much dogs pestered their owners for food and whether they were fussy eaters. 'Dogs at high genetic risk of obesity showed signs of having higher appetite, as has also been shown for people at high genetic risk of obesity.' The researchers measured the body fat of pet dogs, scored their 'greediness', and took a saliva sample for DNA. Then they analysed the genetics of each dog, and by comparing the obesity status of the dog to its DNA were able to tease apart which genes were linked to canine obesity. In all, they identified five genes associated with obesity in dogs, with DENND1B having the biggest impact. DENND1B directly affects a brain pathway responsible for regulating the energy balance in the body, and has been linked to higher Body Mass Index in humans. 'Studying the dogs showed us something really powerful: owners of slim dogs are not morally superior,' said Eleanor Raffan, a researcher at Cambridge. '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.' Although finding variants which trigger obesity could lead to new treatments which dampen the effect, researchers said they were unwilling to tinker with the genes as they might be filling other important functions. '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,' said Alyce McClellan, also of Cambridge's department of physiology, development and neuroscience. 'But the results emphasise the importance of fundamental brain pathways in controlling appetite and body weight.' The researchers say owners can keep their dogs distracted from constant hunger by spreading out each daily food ration, for example by using puzzle feeders or scattering the food around the garden so it takes longer to eat, or by choosing foods which – while still nutritious – are more enjoyable to pets. Ms Raffan added: 'This work shows how similar dogs are to humans genetically. 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 behaviour and energy use.' The research, which was published in the journal Science, was funded by Wellcome, the BBSRC and the Dogs Trust.
