Bariatric surgery is mostly suggested in obese people who are unable to lose weight and are struggling with a lot of diseases because of being overweight. More often, those struggling with more weight or obesity suffer from lifestyle diseases like type 2 diabetes and hypertension. Since the wrong lifestyle is mostly the reason behind these diseases, health experts suggest lifestyle changes to overcome the symptoms.
However, the latest research conducted at the University Of Pittsburgh School Of Medicine has suggested that bariatric surgeries are more helpful than lifestyle changes to put diabetes in remission. The study was published recently in JAMA, a journal known for publishing studies and research materials. According to Medical News Today, patients with type 2 diabetes who are also obese were enrolled in one of the clinical trials conducted from May 2007 to August 2013.
Patients with bariatric surgery showed improvement
As a part of the clinical trial, these participants either completed a lifestyle and medical program or underwent bariatric surgery. The program suggested was based on the established interventions that reduce the risk of diabetes. These interventions included stress management, medication, support groups, nutrition tracking, physical activity, getting to spend more time with the team of healthcare experts, and so on.
The research showed that after bariatric surgery, the triglyceride levels and the cholesterol levels in the patients improved more effectively as compared to those who were relying on lifestyle modifications. Patients who underwent surgery also reported low HbA1c levels that showed better control of blood sugar levels.
The findings revealed bariatric surgery can lead to diabetes remission in many patients. After a seven-year follow up around 18% of participants could achieve diabetes remission as compared to 6% of participants who were on lifestyle modification and medications. A further 12-year follow-up revealed that those who had undergone bariatric surgery 19% could achieve weight loss as compared to 11% weight loss achieved by those on medication and lifestyle modifications.