New research has suggested that weight loss surgeries like gastric banding can also stop 8 out of 10 patients experiencing diabetes symptoms. It has been claimed that bariatric procedures, which include gastric bands, stomach stapling and gastric bypasses, can drastically cut the number of patients with obvious signs of Type 2 Diabetes.
Scientists from the University of Minnisota reported that 78.1% of patients with diabetes had ‘complete resolution’, while in 86.6% of patients their diabetes was improved or resolved.
The patients studied lost on average 38.5kg after the surgery, which they maintained for two years or more. The weight lost came to about 55.9% of their excess weight.
The study, which was presented at the International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity and Metabolic Disorders conference in Paris, is the largest of its kind into the potential benefits of bariatric surgery.
However a leading charity Diabetes UK has warned that people should not get too excited about the research. The care advisor for the charity Zoe Harrison said that though it showed bariatric surgery could have good results, any surgery was potentially risky.
She added that dramatic weight loss could lead to a reduction in people needing to take medicine to treat their diabetes and even to some people not needed their medication at all. However she denied that bariatric surgery could cure diabetes, as those people would still need to eat a balanced diet and exercise to manage their condition.
Charities also warned that diabetes patients might be tempted to look to weight-loss surgeries as a quick fix, rather than using diet and exercise to control the condition.