A tube that is slipped inside the nostrils to dull the sense of smell could offer a simple and drug-free way to lose weight.
People who used the device daily for three months while on a strict diet shed twice as much weight as a second group, who dieted alone.
They also ate fewer sweets, and drank fewer soft drinks and less alcohol, according to a new study in the journal Obesity Facts.
It is thought that by directing air that’s inhaled through the nostrils away from the smell centre of the nose, the 2.5cm-long hollow tube prevents smells from stimulating appetite.