The balloon that you swallow to lose weight

a gastric balloon that’s swallowed like a pill can help with weight loss, say Japanese researchers.

the pill is connected to a thin tube that doctors use to inflate the balloon when it reaches the stomach. the tube is then removed. once in place, the balloon reduces the amount it is possible to eat.

in an independent study of ten overweight adults who received the gastric balloon, known as obalon, the participants lost almost 13 per cent of their body weight after six months, according to results presented at the Digestive Disease Week conference in chicago.

the obalon device naturally deflates after six months and is excreted.