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New jab may help people slim down
From the Swindon Advertiser, first published Monday 25th Jul 2005.
OVERWEIGHT people in Swindon may be offered new hope after a treatment to help fight obesity has been hailed a success.
Scientists have discovered that a hormone, which occurs naturally in the small intestine, can be used to help weight loss.
Oxyntomodulin, is released from the small intestine as a person eats. It tells the brain when you are full.
The study, published in the journal Diabetes, hoped that boosting the body's levels of oxyntomodulin would reduce both weight and calorie intake.
During the four-week trial, 26 volunteers had to inject themselves three times a day, 30 minutes before each meal. 14 of the volunteers were given oxyntomodulin, while the other 12 were given a placebo.
The study found that after four weeks, the group taking oxyntomodulin reduced their weight by an average of 2.3kg compared to around 0.3kg in the control group.
They also found that the daily calorie intake in the test group was reduced by an average of 170 calories after the first injection, and by 250 calories at the end of the trial.
The recommended daily intake for men is around 2,500 calories, and just under 2,000 for women.
Professor Steve Bloom, a senior lecturer at Imperial College London and Hammersmith Hospital, who led the study, said: "The discovery that oxyntomodulin can be effective in reducing weight could be an important step in tackling the rising levels of obesity in society.
"Not only is it naturally occurring, so has virtually no side effects, it could be ideal for general use as it can be self-administered. Despite this, we still need to conduct larger clinical trials."
More than half of the UK's adults are considered to be overweight or obese.
Jane Leaman, director of public health at Swindon Primary Care Trust, said: "We are very interested in the latest research into address weight loss and await further information to its benefits. In the meantime our advice to residents is to eat a healthy diet and take regular exercise."
Obesity increases the risk of heart disease, Type 2 diabetes and can cause problems with bones and joints. It is estimated that obesity costs the UK up to £3.7 billion a year in treatment and days lost through sickness.
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