Obesity is a growing problem worldwide and the situation is exacerbated by the fact that being overweight increases a person's risks for developing a number of unwanted health conditions such as diabetes and cancer.
A wonder pill that could switch off hunger, however, may pave way to combatting the obesity epidemic. Fortunately, scientists appear to be a step closer to this drug after discovering a molecule that can make people feel full and reduce their tendency to crave and binge for food.
In a new study "The short-chain fatty acid acetate reduces appetite via a central homeostatic mechanism" published in the journal Nature Communications April 29, researchers from the Imperial College London discovered how high-fiber foods such as cereals and bread help suppress appetite.
They found that the fiber in these foods release acetate when digested and this so called anti-appetite molecule travels to the brain where it builds up in the hypothalamus and triggers chemical reactions that suppresses appetite and prompts the body to stop eating. The researchers have likewise observed that mice whose blood, colons or brains were directly injected with acetate tend to consume lesser amount of food.
"These data demonstrate a previously unexplored central mechanism through which the fermentation products of FC and dietary fibre may aid in the control of body weight," study researcher Gary Frost, from the Imperial College London, and colleagues wrote. "Moreover, it opens up important new possibilities for weight management as the supply of fermentable substrate to the colon (and therefore acetate production) can be modified."
Researchers believe that the breakthrough could pave way for a treatment that can help people stop bingeing and lose weight. Tam Fry, of the National Obesity Forum, commended the researchers' efforts to identify how the brain can prompt the body to stop eating and considered the possibility of developing a pill that could turn off hunger.
"It will take years to come on to the market but if we can develop something such as a pill it will be worth its weight in gold," Fry said.
Even if such pill isn't available yet, people who want to control their food cravings and those who want to lose weight can apparently benefit from adding more fiber in their diet. Dietary fiber is abundant in plants and vegetables so eating plenty of fruits and vegetables can help in the production of appetite-suppressing acetate.
