There may be a reason some dogs seem to take after their owners! Researchers have discovered genes linked to obesity in both Labradors and humans. In particular the gene DENND1B is carried by both dogs and people and is associated with obesity in both.There may be a reason some dogs seem to take after their owners! Researchers have discovered genes linked to obesity in both Labradors and humans. In particular the gene DENND1B is carried by both dogs and people and is associated with obesity in both.
There may be a reason some dogs seem to take after their owners! Researchers have discovered genes linked to obesity in both Labradors and humans. In particular the gene DENND1B is carried by both dogs and people and is associated with obesity in both.
New research reveals obese humans and Labradors may share the same gene variant - DENND1B - that causes them to overeat. The health and wellness experts Rio.life say man’s best friend can teach us a lot about hereditary obesity.
The saying dogs take after their owners may be truer than we thought. Both dogs and humans have been discovered to share genes that are responsible for obesity. The good news is that this new research shows the effects of the genes on both humans and dogs can be over-ridden with a strict diet and exercise regime.
A new study released in the same week as World Obesity Day reveals some Labrador retrievers don’t have an off switch when it comes to hunger. Researchers studying British Labrador retrievers have identified multiple genes associated with canine obesity and shown that the same genes found in these perennially hungry hounds genes are also associated with obesity in humans.
The research reveals that a gene variant called DENND1B in particular is present in both dogs and humans. Using a cross-species approach, the new study, led by scientists from the University of Cambridge, found that this gene was not only associated with obesity in Labradors but also linked to rare and common forms of obesity in humans.
The study - Canine genome-wide association study identifies DENND1B as an obesity gene in dogs and humans - was published in Science this week. It reveals the gene variant DENND1B caused approximately 8% greater body fat in Labradors with this variant of the DENN gene. It’s not only dogs it impacts, though. Rare, damaging variants in this gene are now being implicated as a cause of severe childhood obesity in some people.
One of the study’s lead authors, Professor Giles Yeo, Chair of Rio.life’s Scientific Advisory Board, explains: ‘About 40-60% of pet dogs are overweight or obese, predisposing them to a range of health problems. Dogs are exposed to similar environmental risk factors for obesity as humans; most have limited exercise and easy access to food. The inheritance of obesity in dogs is complex and, until now, its genetic basis was poorly understood.’
Professor Yeo, who is based at the Institute of Metabolic Science, University of Cambridge reveals: ‘Labrador retrievers are particularly obesity-prone and – as their long-suffering owners will confirm – tend to be highly food motivated. We studied a population of British Labrador retrievers and our study revealed multiple obesity-associated gene variations. Crucially, our research also found that Canine obesity-associated genes are also associated with human obesity.
Professor Yeo, who is also a well-known broadcaster thanks to his appearances on programmes such as BBC’s ‘Horizon’ and ‘Trust me, I’m a Doctor’, continues: ‘Genetic comparisons between dog and human genetics established this connection. The gene most strongly associated with obesity in dogs was DENND1B which we studied in the laboratory and discovered has a previously unrecognised role in regulating MC4R signalling – a key regulator of body weight.
‘Perhaps it’s not surprising that we found the same gene has a similar effect in dogs and humans. Canine DENND1B is very similar to the human gene. 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.
‘DENND1B was found to directly affect a brain pathway responsible for regulating the energy balance in the body, called the leptin melanocortin pathway.
‘Supporting evidence of the direct link between the effect of DENND1B in dogs and humans came when a study of a patient with severe childhood obesity was identified with a rare variant of the gene. The patient weighed 32 kg at 2 years and 4 months (the average weight at that age is around 12kg) and 63kg at the age of 7 (the average weight at that age is 22kg). She had a condition called “hyperphagia” – an abnormally strong desire to eat.
‘The study is good news in the week we celebrated World Obesity Day (4 March). It reveals that the risk of traits such as hunger created in us by our genes can be mitigated. As well as for humans, it’s also good news for man’s best friend. We observed that strict owner control of diet and exercise was influential in preventing obesity in dogs with high risk. That means the study has practical implications for improved management of canine obesity.
‘Similarly, people at high genetic risk of developing obesity will not necessarily become obese, if they follow a strict diet and exercise regime – but they are more prone to weight gain.’
Jaie Genadt, CEO of the health and wellness specialists Rio.life, is excited about the potential of this research. ‘It’s highly significant that this paper concludes that a genetic trait such as hunger, caused by our genes, can be mitigated. Our commitment is to improving health by turning such cutting-edge research into practical, empowering solutions that make a difference in the lives of our customers.'
Rio.life’s Chief Operating Officer, Dr Quinton Fivelman PhD, says Rio is currently building on the latest obesity research to create a new personalised weight loss treatment plan, tailored for humans, of course, not dogs! ‘By combining behavioural science, wearables, AI technology and the latest in pharmacology and supplements, Rio is using remarkable new research into obesity and weight issues to develop individual weight loss programs and other healthcare treatments that will stick.
‘Rio’s new Transformer programme will also feed into other treatments becoming available, including Personalised Food Scoring. People can discover how their body responds to different foods, exercise, sleep and stress with Rio’s AI-powered scoring system, integrating blood and genetic testing, continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) data and wearable ring insights.
‘Our aim is that Rio’s advanced platform will help everyone reach their wellness and weight loss goals as effortlessly as possible. World Obesity Day this week served as a platform to raise awareness. If you have weight issue concerns, it’s time to address them for you and your pampered pooch. For more information on how Rio.life’s technology can help you learn more about how your food and lifestyle impacts your health, see: https://www.rio.life/