Study reveals dog obesity gene shared by humans

Obesity is on the rise not just in humans but also in dogs, whose history of selective breeding makes them an ideal species for studying the balance between genetics, diet and life-style in weight gain.

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WASHINGTON - Obesity is on the rise not just in humans but also in dogs, whose history of selective breeding makes them an ideal species for studying the balance between genetics, diet and life-style in weight gain.

In a new paper published on March 6 in online publication Science, researchers at the University of Cambridge identified a gene strongly linked to obesity in pet pooches - and found it is also associated with weight gain in humans.

"The prevailing attitude towards obesity is that people are just a bit rubbish about controlling what they eat, whereas actually, our data shows that if you're a high-risk individual, it takes more effort to keep you slim," lead author Eleanor Raffan, a researcher in the University of Cambridge's Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, told AFP.