Dog hungry? That's because you and your Labrador may share the same obesity gene!

March 7, 2025 - PRLog -- 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.

The study 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, of the Institute of Metabolic Science, University of Cambridge and Chair of Rio.life's Scientific Advisory Board, explains: '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.

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. DENND1B was found to directly affect a brain pathway responsible for regulating the energy balance in the body, called the leptin melanocortin pathway.

'The study is good news in the week we celebrated World Obesity Day. It reveals that the risk of traits such as hunger created in us by our genes can be mitigated. We observed that strict owner control of diet and exercise was influential in prevent­ing obesity in dogs with high risk. 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.'

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.

'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. 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/