Could surgery cure diabetes

A grant from the BUPA Foundation to the Swansea University School of Medicine could open the way for scientists to investigate the effects of weight-reducing surgery on diabetic patients. The grant, totalling £93,000, will expand on the significant potential that the surgery offers.
Common estimates indicate that around 95 per cent of morbidly obese people have type 2 diabetes . Apparently, some 80 per cent of patients who have a surgical procedure called gastric bypass surgery to reduce their intestine and stomach size find that their diabetes disappears.
The investigation will be led by Dr. Stephens of the Diabetes Research Group. He reportedly commented: “Although patients with Type 2 diabetes do not always require insulin treatment, the average diabetic needs about 30 units of insulin a day to control blood sugar levels. For obese patients, this can rise to 200 units a day. To go from such a high level of insulin-dependency to not needing insulin in a matter of a few days is a dramatic result, and we need to understand the reasons why this happens.”
Stephens reportedly concluded: “Not only will this research improve our understanding of why overweight people develop Type 2 diabetes, it may also lead to an effective, non-surgical treatment for those with the condition. We are immensely grateful to the BUPA Foundation for giving us this opportunity.”