So far it seems that there is a chewing gum out there for just about everything. Upset stomach, chew this gum. Can't quit smoking, try that gum. So, it was only a matter of time before an anti-obesity gum was released.
The BBC is reporting that a team at The Imperial College London is developing a drug based on a natural gut hormone that mimics the body's "feeling full" response. The gum would contain the hormone pancreatic polypeptide (PP), which the body produces after every meal to ensure eating does not run out of control. The theory is that obese people like to chew and that they do not have enough of this hormone and moderate doses will help make them feel full. When the gum was given to people in the experiment, they felt less hungry and ate between 15% and 25% less after the PP treatment.
The gum is not out or approved just yet, but keep an eye out as it's just a matter of time.