A picture of two mice side by side, shows the striking difference between the two after one was given a pioneering fat-busting treatment by scientists in South Korea.
The scientists discovered mice bred to be fat, lost 20% of their body weight after being given the therapy.
The risk of obesity-related diseases in the treated mice also dropped, as scientists were able to reduce factors such as insulin resistance.
The treatment works by silencing a specific gene which plays a crucial role in the development of fat in humans.
While the therapy has shown promising results in mice, further studies are required before it can be used in humans.
Millions of people worldwide are at risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and cancer due to being overweight.
Current widely used weight loss drugs come with unpleasant side-effects.
Jee Young Chung and the team at Hanyang University are working towards a treatment which works but doesn’t come with side effects.
