Cambridge scientists explain why Labradors are more likely to get fat than other breeds

Video report by ITV News Anglia's Chloe Keedy

Labradors have long been the nation's favourite dog, but new research could reveal why they are also one of the fattest.

According to scientists at the University of Cambridge, it's not just down to the dogs being spoilt by doting owners, but because they carry a gene that makes them predisposed to gluttony.

The study found that almost a quarter of Labradors have the faulty gene, which makes it more difficult for them to recognise they're full and control their appetite.

The experts studied more than 300 animals kept as pets or guide dogs to look for what genes they possessed, and asked their owners to talk about how much food their dogs liked to eat.

They discovered that Labradors with the gene were, on average, 4kg heavier than those that didn't have it.

Other breeds of dogs were also tested, but didn't show the same traits.

Scientists say that the fact that Labradors aren't self conscious about their eating habits makes them easier to study than humans.

Scientists hope that their findings will ultimately help in the fight against obesity in humans, who have been found to carry the same gene.