June 11, 1999 By Eric Benjamin Lowe GAINESVILLE, Fla.---
University of Florida scientists have successfully used gene
therapy to control appetite and weight in obese animal models,
they announced this week. While testing in humans is years away,
the research holds promise that a single injection may someday
be a viable option for treating obesity, a widespread health
problem that continues to defy most control efforts. The
researchers are scheduled to present their findings Thursday
(6/10/99) at the annual meeting of the American Society of Gene
Therapy in Washington, D.C. "This would be the couch potato's
dream: You can eat what you want but stay lean," said Sergei
Zolotukhin, a research associate professor of molecular genetics
and microbiology in UF's College of Medicine. An estimated 54
percent of adults in the United States are overweight, according
to the National Institutes of Health. Treating obesity and its
related conditions, including high blood pressure, heart disease
and diabetes, is estimated to