Study uses pigs as models for humans

Sunday, April 5, 2015

In a new study aimed at determining which foods help prevent obesity, scientists will be using pigs as models for humans, ThePigSite reports.

With support from Innovation Fund Denmark, an international group of scientists is planning to study how protein- and fibre-rich foods can help prevent obesity-related disorders. According to ThePigSite, fat- and sugar-rich diets contribute to health problems such as high blood pressure and insulin resistance. These – along with other conditions – contribute to metabolic syndrome, which increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. The leading scientist for the study, Prof. Knud Erik Bach Knudsen from the Department of Animal Science at Aarhus University, told ThePigSite that "in the western world, 20 to 25 per cent of the adult population suffers metabolic syndrome."

While the scientists will use human subjects for part of the study, they will also be using pigs. Knudsen told ThePigSite, "We will develop a pig model that allows us to use invasive methods to study the impact of obesity at the molecular level. These are studies that can't be performed on humans. But we'll be able to transfer the results to humans, since the physiology of pigs and humans is very similar." BP