Obesity has now become a 'global epidemic' with people from poorer nations as well suffering from the disease. According to a study published in The New England Journal of Medicine, currently, India has the second highest number of obese children in the world while the first is China. However, it seems that scientists are one step closer to finding a cure for it.
A recent study revealed that a hunger-blocking jab could help people lose 10 percent of their body weight in six weeks.
The researchers led by Murielle Véniant at pharmaceutical company Amgen injected a specific protein, known as GDF15 to obese monkeys and also an antibody that will make the protein circulate longer in the body.
It was found that obese monkeys in just six weeks, lost 10 percent weight and their appetite was also suppressed by 40 percent. After the injection, the glucose level of the animals also improved, lowering the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
The research, however, has been conducted only on the monkeys but the findings have raised a hope of combating obesity in humans.
Previous studies revealed that GDF15 binds to molecules in the stomach and intestines and sends signals to the brain to stop eating which, in turn, reduces appetite without causing side effects.
Too much weight can put people at higher risk of stroke, heart disease, and certain cancers. According to Daily Mail, with FDA-approved obesity medications, people lose between 7 and 12 percent of their body weight after a year of administration.
With this, people can lose 10 percent of their body weight in just six weeks. According to the lead author of the recent study, Murielle Véniant, the injection caused no side effects in monkeys but it needs replicating in humans.
The findings were published in the journal Science Translational Medicine.
