Obesity genes that cause dogs—and people—to pile on the pounds have been identified.

Researchers studying Labrador retrievers discovered several genes associated with canine obesity—and the Cambridge University team showed that the same genes are associated with obesity in humans.

The gene is called DENND1B, and the researchers explained that it directly affects a brain pathway (called the leptin melanocortin pathway) responsible for regulating energy balance in the body.

An additional four genes associated with canine obesity, but which exert a smaller effect than DENND1B, were also mapped directly from human genes.

“The results emphasize the importance of fundamental brain pathways in controlling appetite and body weight,” explained Alyce McClellan, of Cambridge’s Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience who co-authored the study. “(But) these genes are not immediately obvious targets for weight-loss drugs, because they control other key biological processes in the body that should not be interfered with.”

The team measured how much dogs pestered their owners for food, and whether they were fussy eaters.

“We found that dogs at high genetic risk of obesity were more interested in food,” said Cambridge co-author Natalie Wallis.

“Dogs at high genetic risk of obesity showed signs of having higher appetite—as has also been shown for people at high genetic risk of obesity.”

The study, published in the journal Science this week, found that owners who strictly controlled their dogs’ diet and exercise managed to prevent even those with high genetic risk from becoming obese—but much more attention and effort was required.

The researchers say that, 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.

As with human obesity, no single gene determined whether the dogs were prone to obesity; the net effect of multiple genetic variants determined whether dogs were at high or low risk.

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Study leader Dr. Eleanor Raffan said: “Studying the dogs showed us something really powerful (and the same is true of people). If you have a high genetic risk of obesity, then when there’s lots of food available you’re prone to overeating and gaining weight unless you put a huge effort into not doing so.”

“By studying dogs we could measure their desire for food separately to the control owners exerted over their dog’s diet and exercise. In human studies, it’s harder to study how genetically-driven appetite requires greater willpower to remain slim, as both are affecting the one person.”

The current human obesity epidemic is mirrored by an obesity epidemic in canines with between 40% and 60% of pet dogs overweight or obese, which can lead to several health issues.

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The research team recruited owners with dogs and they then measured the pet’s body fat, scored ‘greediness’, and took a saliva sample for DNA. They then analyzed the genetics of each dog. By comparing the obesity status of the dog to its DNA, they could identify the genes linked to canine obesity.

Dogs carrying the genetic variant most associated with obesity, DENND1B, had around 8% more body fat than those who didn’t have it.

The researchers say owners can keep their dogs distracted from constant hunger by spreading out each daily food ration, for example by using puzzle feeders or scattering the food around the garden so it takes longer to eat, or by choosing a more satisfying nutrient composition for their pets.

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The researchers explained that dogs are a “good model” for studying human obesity. They develop obesity through similar environmental influences as humans. And, any given breed has a high degree of genetic similarity with the others.

“This work shows how similar dogs are to humans genetically,” says Dr. Raffan, who believes the work has led to “a big advance in understanding how our own brain controls our eating behavior and energy use.”

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