- Title: Dogs' behaviour towards food could shed light on human obesity
- Date: 11th July 2018
- Summary: GAITHERSBURG, MARYLAND, UNITED STATES (MAY 6, 2014) (REUTERS) "GINGIN" THE OVERWEIGHT CHIHUAHUA, WHO WAS FOUND BY U.S. MARSHALLS IN AN ABANDONED EVICTED HOME IN WASHINGTON, D.C. "GINGIN" THE CHIHUAHUA LAYING LAZILY IN THE SUN "GABY" THE BULLDOG LYING ON HIS BACK ON THE GRASS
- Embargoed: 25th July 2018 13:55
- Keywords: overweight dogs obesity psychological response to food Royal Society Open Science journal
- Location: BUDAPEST, HUNGARY/GAITHERSBURG, MARYLAND, UNITED STATES
- City: BUDAPEST, HUNGARY/GAITHERSBURG, MARYLAND, UNITED STATES
- Country: Hungary
- Topics: Science
- Reuters ID: LVA0028OB1JKR
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Fat dogs have a lot in common with overweight humans, including an interest in top quality food and an unwillingness to settle for second best, Hungarian scientists have found.
The study suggested dogs could be used as models for future research into the causes and psychological impacts of human obesity, the authors of the paper from Budapest's ELTE University said.
Researchers put two bowls - one of them holding a good meal, the other empty or containing less attractive food - in front of a series of dogs.
The study found that canines of a normal weight continued obeying instructions to check the second pot for food, but the obese ones refused after a few rounds.
Test leader Orsolya Torda said they had expected the overweight dogs to do anything to get food, but instead found them unwilling to invest more energy than necessary if they were unlikely to find a food they liked.
The behaviour had possible parallels with overweight people who see food as a reward, said the paper published in the Royal Society Open Science journal. - Copyright Holder: FILE REUTERS (CAN SELL)
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2018. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
