People with type 2 diabetes considering weight loss surgery should opt for a gastric bypass procedure, according to new research.
The study, conducted by researchers in the Netherlands, found that the type of weight loss surgery performed could affect the chances of type 2 diabetes remission. Of all the different kinds of weight loss surgery, gastric bypass surgery is the most successful.
Recent research has shown that weight loss surgery can be of great benefit to people with type 2 diabetes who are also overweight or obese. By limiting the size of the stomach, weight loss surgery can reverse the process of insulin resistance, thereby eliminating the need for diabetes medication.
For this study, the researchers examined the data of 569 obese patients with type 2 diabetes who were given a range of different weight loss surgeries, including sleeve gastrectomies and 1,881 people with type 2 diabetes who did not have weight loss surgery.
They found that the participants who underwent weight loss surgery had an 18-fold increase in their chances of diabetes remission. Compared to results without surgery, those given a gastric bypass were 43 times more likely to go into remission for their diabetes. No other procedure was nearly as successful.
However, there is as of yet no evidence to suggest that people with type 2 diabetes who are not obese would benefit from weight loss surgery. Further studies are needed.
Moreover, weight loss surgery carries with it a number of risks and potential side effects. The decision to undergo weight loss surgery should not be taken lightly. It should be seen as a somewhat extreme solution, tried only after lifestyle solutions such as dietary changes and exercise have failed.
The findings were published in JAMA Surgery.

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