According to the American Diabetes Association, nearly 21 million people in the United States have type 2 diabetes. About fifty four million are estimated to have elevated blood sugar levels and are classified as having “pre-diabetes.” Most cases of type 2 diabetes are a result of being overweight. By being overweight the body does not respond appropriately to blood levels of insulin, and in some people the insulin levels are lower than normal. This leads to the body being unable to regulate its blood sugars appropriately.
Several studies have shown that weight loss surgery can cure type II diabetes. A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 2004 showed that type II diabetes was eliminated in nearly 77% of weight loss surgery patients.
A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine in August 2007 showed that deaths from diabetes were reduced 92% in patients who underwent weight loss surgery, when compared with equally obese people who did not have the surgery.
It is becoming more apparent that weight loss surgery may be the answer to metabolic diseases such as high blood pressure and diabetes. This revolutionary way of thinking is changing the approach to the management of type 2 diabetes. Medicines such as insulin and hypoglycemic drugs simply mask the symptoms by keeping blood sugar levels low. Weight loss surgery has a chance to lead to a cure.
A recent summit was held in Rome, Italy with over two dozen medical organizations to review the evidence of weight loss surgery on diabetes. The conference participants are expected to release a consensus statement regarding the role of weight loss surgery as a possible treatment for type 2 diabetes.
Several options exist for weight loss surgery and the two most popular are the gastric bypass, and adjustable gastric banding.
