Shares in OptiBiotix Health PLC (LON:OPTI) staged an about turn mid-morning to trade in positive territory.
The movement was a reaction, market makers said, to a report by the Lancet medical journal suggesting the obesity epidemic is only going to worsen over the next decade.
Why would that impact OptiBiotix? Well it is one of the few companies that might benefit as doctors fight a rear-guard action against binge eating.
For the AIM-listed company is focused on altering the function of the human biome to tackle obesity, cholesterol and diabetes.
It is developing unique sugars - called SlimBiome and SweetBiotix - that it hopes will work to improve health rather than helping pile on the pounds.
The Lancet report, meanwhile, has served to remind investors that fight against the flab is a real war that will cost the healthcare systems around the world hundreds of billions of pounds a year.
The investigation looked at individuals from nearly 200 countries and revealed an increase in the number of obese people from 105mln in 1975 to 641mln in 2014, adding that quick action is needed to avoid "an epidemic of severe obesity".
OptiBiotix’s CEO Stephen OHara said: “This report from the Lancet highlights the scale of global obesity endemic with the world now having more overweight than underweight people.
“This will increase global demand for products with a strong scientific evidence and proven clinical safety and efficacy.
“OptiBiotix’s weight management SlimBiome product and low calorie SweetBiotix healthy sugars have the potential to address this global need.
“As the food and beverage industry responds to the growing public and political concerns over traditional sugars and artificial sweeteners, we expect growing interest in our technology platforms and products.”
At 11:15am OptiBiotix shares were up 1p at 83p.