A Way to Eat More, Weigh Less

Yahoo news, Mar. 30, 2001

            Researchers in Texas have discovered how to bred lab mice to be half the weight of a normal mouse and eat up to 40 percent more that the average mouse.  They believe this is due to the lack of enzymes that makes the conversion of fat to energy.  Blocking the same enzymes in humans could lead to a drug to promote weight loss and prevent obesity. For example, a couch potato could sit on the couch eat his potato chips, and all the other fattening food he likes and not gain a pound without exercising. When an animal eats, it converts some of the nutrients into short-term energy and stashes other compounds away for a lean day. Fat stores become the body's molecular pantry. Some mice became f\pregnant and their babies died about one week after they became pregnant.  Yet, while their cells convert fat into energy at an intense clip, they seem otherwise fine.  The Mice have a hearty appetite, consuming 20 percent to 40 percent more food than their genetically normal cage-mates, yet they weigh 10 percent to 15 percent less. Their body fat content is half that of wild mouse strains.  Still this study is not yet proven safe for humans so the scientists will do more research to make it safe.

            I think this would be really great for obese people that can’t exercise.  These people are just left where they are to rot.  Its great to see that science has progressed so far to almost eliminate fat problems forever