Implanted electrical device may help obese

A kind of pacemaker for the tummy, an implanted electrical device that fools the body into feeling full, appears to be an effective alternative to radical digestive surgery for helping obese people shed weight.

Researchers in Boston say the device, which has been tested on 450 people, could offer a new way to help very large people slim down. After a year with the implant, two-thirds of the volunteers had lost weight.

The device, called an implantable gastric stimulator, is attached to the wall of the stomach and reduces feelings of hunger.