Scientists identify potential new target for treating obesity

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Obese people tend to feel hungry more quickly after eating than people of average weight.
That's because they are less sensitive to the hormone that tells the stomach they're full.
But now, researchers have identified a way to restore sensitivity to the hormone by suppressing a specific gene.
Lee Min-young has the details.
This woman, who has recently gained weight, starts feeling hungry again shortly after a big meal.
Researchers say that's because people who are overweight tend to have a lower sensitivity to satiety compared to those of regular weight.
Normally, when a person eats a lot, the body produces the "satiety hormone" leptin, which inhibits appetite.
This prompts the brain to tell the body you're full.
Obese people, however, do not respond to leptin's signals, which results in constant hunger.

"Obese people do not feel full, resulting in greater consumption and excess calories that aggravate obesity."

In a related discovery, an American research team has found that suppression of the Rap1 gene in the brain could potentially end the vicious cycle.
Mice that were genetically engineered to lack the gene responded well to leptin and lost weight.
The scientists believe the new mechanism could represent a potential therapeutic target for treating human obesity in the future.
Lee Min-young, Arirang News.

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