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

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.

From weight loss jabs to vibrating pills, the obesity crisis has spawned myriad innovations to help people shed pounds. Now scientists have overhauled the humble gastric balloon – producing a device that inflates and deflates to keep it effective for longer.