Some Labradors have a predisposition to obesity

Much like their human owners, dogs are experiencing an obesity epidemic. One recent study of British pooches found that one in 14 is too pudgy, putting them at higher risk of conditions like arthritis, shortening their lifespan and making walks more of a drag. Certain breeds, like Labradors, are particularly prone to fatness. Purebred Labs are around 70% more likely to be overweight than mixed-breed mutts. A new study, published in the journal Science Advances, has identified one reason why—a genetic quirk makes some Labradors prone to obesity.

The study, led by Eleanor Raffan, a veterinary geneticist at the University of Cambridge, focused on a gene known as POMC, which is found in humans as well as dogs. In a previous study, published in 2016, Dr Raffan and her colleagues found that obese Labradors were much more likely than slimmer dogs to be missing a small section of DNA in the gene, a so-called deletion mutation. In the latest study the researchers set out to identify how this genetic variant, which is present in a quarter of Labs, might cause them to gain weight.