It is the curse of every diet – no matter how devoutly they are
followed, there always seem to be a few wobbly bits that just
refuse to budge. But scientists have now developed an injection
that could target those stubborn spare tyres or double chins
without affecting the rest of the body. The researchers have
found they can burn off excess fat in specific areas of the body
by injecting tiny capsules filled with a modified type of heat-
producing cell commonly found in animals and babies. The cells
release “signals” that alter the surrounding fat tissue so
surplus calories are used up by producing body heat rather than
being stored as fat. Tests in animals have shown that injecting
the capsules caused obese mice to lose up to 10 per cent of
their body weight even when being fed a high calorie diet. The
researchers are now planning to begin treating obese dogs later
this year. If successful and found to be safe, it is hoped that
the treatment could be available for use in humans in around six
years. The researc