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.
The gene the researchers identified interferes with a brain signalling pathway that helps regulate our appetite. 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.
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