Scientists develop fat jab

Washington: Scientists have developed an chemical injection that blocks a substance in the human body responsible for laying down fat.

The injection has been developed by scientists at Georgetown University, as a result of studies of the effect of stress on weight gain. They discovered that mice put under stress put on more weight than those in a stress free environment. But when injected with a drug that blocked the production of the chemical, called neuropeptide Y2 receptor (Y2R), the mice lost 40 percent of the fat around the stomach. Y2R has long been linked to obesity.

It is thought that the discovery could assist inthe prevention of illnesses linked to obesity such as diabetes and heart disease.

Dr Zofia Zukowska, who led the study, published in the journal Nature Medicine, said stressful situations such as “disagreements with your boss, taking care of a chronically ill child, or repeated traffic road rages” could amplify weight gain.

Dr Zukowska said: “It had a profound effect on overall metabolism. We don’t think this is something that would be used for gross obesity but for reshaping the body . . . that would be all very good.