Researchers at the Institute of Food Research have developed a machine which they claim works as an accurate working model of a human stomach.

You can read about it here on the BBC News website. There is also a write-up on The Advertiser of Norwich, where it says, "A pioneering machine developed in Norwich, which eats roast dinners and curries, is set to change the face of the medicine industry across the world when it goes on sale.

Scientists at the Institute of Food Research have produced the world's first accurate model of a working stomach, which is allowing them to study the complex methods of digestion of every kind of food and drug in any combination.

They hope the model, which took 15 years to develop, will help to reduce levels of obesity in society and minimise the amount of animal testing conducted by the pharmaceuticals industry, as well as speeding up the time it takes to develop medicines and reduce their cost."

My personal opinion is that it will be of no use at all in reducing levels of obesity, because obesity is caused by weakened blood vessel walls leading to increased blood volume/sodium retention/water retention/salt sensitivity/weight gain/oedema, which I doubt the artificial stomach will have the capability of measuring because the researchers are unlikely to have realised the relevance of the strength of blood vessel walls in considering excess weight. You can read about these problems on my website, and about how to lose weight safely and easily by cutting down on salt and salty food.

Prescription drugs are a major cause of weakened blood vessel walls. See my Mensa article on Obesity and the Salt Connection

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