Chubby labrador retrievers may be genetically predisposed to obesity, according to a new University of Cambridge study.
The dog – which is the most popular breed in the UK – is often considered to be "obsessed with food", say the researchers, which could be explained by the gene. Their research has been published in the journal Cell Metabolism.
310 pet and assistance labradors were weighed, assessed, and given a "body condition score". The team also "searched for variants of obesity-related genes" and assessed food-motivation via a diary kept by dog owners. And the research found that one particular gene – POMC – was associated with obesity in the labradors, with around one in four labradors thought to carry the gene. It affects how the brain regulates and recognises the feeling of hunger – meaning the dogs may carry on eating when they're full.
variant in Labradors and has a significant effect on those dogs that carry it, so it is likely that this helps explain why Labradors are more prone to being overweight in comparison to other breeds," said Eleanor Raffman, lead author of the research. "People who live with Labradors often say they are obsessed by food, and that would fit with what we know about this genetic change."
The team says the research may also have an impact on our understanding of human obesity. "Common genetic variants affecting the POMC gene are associated with human body weight and there are even some rare obese people who lack a very similar part of the POMC gene to the one that is missing in the dogs. So further research in these obese Labradors may not only help the wellbeing of companion animals but also have important lessons for human health," said Stephen O'Rahilly, who also worked on the research.
Obesity in dogs can cause diabetes, heart disease, cancer and a reduced lifespan.
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This article was originally published by WIRED UK
