by A gene that makes Labradors overdo it more frequently is the same gene that, according to new research in obesity, can be found.
Scientists have found that changes to a certain gene that is responsible for regulating the energy balance in the body changes the chemical signals that tell our brain that we have enough to eat.
Findings published in the Academic Journal Science The dog rain, which was the most obstinated with obesity in Labradors, is called Dennd1b – the same is also associated with obesity in humans.
Researchers at the University of Cambridge analyzed the genetics of 250 Labradors and said that they had found something “really powerful” about the biology of the risk of obesity.
“Owners of slim dogs are not morally superior,” said Dr. Eleanor Raffan who headed the study.
“The same applies to slim people. If you have a high genetic risk of obesity, you are susceptible to excessive food and weight gain, unless you have a great effort not to do this, ”she added.
The epidemic of obesity human obesity is reflected by an obesity epidemic in dogs. Around 40-60 percent of pet dogs are overweight or obese, which can lead to a number of health problems like people.
Dogs are a good model for the investigation of human obesity: they develop obesity through similar environmental influences than humans, and since dogs have a high level of genetic similarity in a certain breed, their genes can be more easily associated with diseases.
In order to achieve their results, the researchers recruited owners with pet dogs. They measured the body fat of the dogs, gave them a “greed” protection by measuring how many dogs their owners ventilated for food and took a saliva sample for DNA.
Dogs that wore the genetic variant that were most associated with obesity, dennd1b, had around 8 percent more body fat than those without them.
The researchers then examined whether the genes they identified were relevant for human obesity. They examined both large population -based studies as well as in cohorts of patients with severe, early on -minded obesity, in which it is assumed that individual genetic changes cause weight gain.
However, researchers say that there are opportunities for how owners can distract their dogs from the constant hunger by spreading every daily food ration.
Stowing food in the garden and using puzzle feeders, so that the food lasts longer, are some of the suggestions.
Dr. Raffan said: “This work shows how similar dogs are genetically for humans. Studying the dogs meant that we had reason to concentrate on this special gene, which has led to great progress in order to understand how our own brain controls our eating behavior and our energy consumption. “
The study showed that owners who strictly controlled the nutrition and movement of their dogs themselves prevent even those with high genetic risk.
Similarly, people with a high genetic risk of developing obesity will not necessarily become obese if they follow a strict diet and sports regime. But it means that they are more susceptible to weight gain.
This discovery contributes to the construction examination, which causes people to eat too much. A group of weight loss medication such as Ozempic and Wegven aims at some of this biology, but the authors of the study say that this study shows something else.
“These genes are not immediately obvious goals for weight loss medication, since they control other important biological processes in the body that should not be disturbed. However, the results emphasize the importance of fundamental brain paths for the control of appetite and body weight, ”said Alyce McClellan joint first author of the report.
