Researchers have developed and are testing a small, implanted gastric balloon that people can inflate or deflate to feel full or not.

B ack in the early 2000s, Gastric Band Surgery (LAP-Band) was seen as the new frontier in weight loss. However, by 2019, it accounted for only 0.9 percent of all bariatric procedu

If successful in human trials, this new gastric balloon could offer a solution for those unsuitable for surgery or those who don't see results from existing weight-loss medications. Currently, alternatives for obesity treatment include gastric bypass surgery, stomach stapling, and weight-loss drugs like semaglutide.

Approved for use in the United States, saline filled gastric balloons stimulate a sense of fullness in the stomach, and studies have shown that they work well, but the benefits are often temporary.

Invasive weight-loss surgeries can often be a tough sell, too. Now, researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) say they've developed an alternative: A small, implanted gastric balloon that people can inflate or deflate to feel full or not.