For many people suffering from diabetes mellitus (type II), morbid obesity is the major underlying cause.
According to the American Diabetes Association, almost 90 percent of people newly diagnosed with diabetes are overweight. Obesity is the disease; diabetes is the symptom of the disease. As with any other disease, it is almost always better to treat the primary disease rather than just the symptom.
Science has long proven that losing weight can improve type II diabetes. There is increasing evidence that bariatric surgery will significantly improve type II diabetes in most patients, and in many cases, will reverse it.
In March 2011, the International Diabetes Federation, which represents more than 200 diabetes groups across the globe, called for weight-loss surgery to be considered a treatment for type II diabetes in certain patients with a body mass index (BMI) as low as 30.
Currently the National Institutes of Health guidelines recommend bariatric surgery for patients with a body mass index (BMI) over 40. Gastric banding is now recommended by the FDA as a potential treatment for people with BMIs between 30 and 40 if they have obesity-related illnesses such as diabetes. Other weight-loss surgeries are only recommended for people with diabetes whose BMI is greater than 35.
Weight-loss surgery works by restricting food intake and, in some procedures, by limiting the absorption of food in the small intestine. As more weight is lost, blood glucose levels continue to improve. In addition, weight-loss surgery typically improves blood sugar levels immediately following surgery, through a mechanism that scientists are still trying to understand.
A study from Duke University Medical Center and Columbia University compared patients who had gastric bypass surgery to those who lost the same amount of weight by dieting. They found that the surgery patients had lower levels of amino acids that have been linked to insulin resistance, with blood sugar levels improving almost immediately after surgery. One month after surgery, the majority of gastric bypass patients were off all diabetes drugs.
Of course, all surgery is not without risks. However, in most cases it has been proven that the benefits of weight-loss surgery in diabetic patients outweigh those risks. Being morbidly obese with type II diabetes, if left untreated, can lead to death. Studies have shown that these patients are less likely to die prematurely than those who did not undergo weight-loss surgery. Regardless of your decision, its important to meet with your physician to determine the right plan for you.
In addition to improving diabetes and potentially eliminating the need for insulin, many patients experience improvement in other underlying conditions, such as sleep apnea, high blood pressure, heart disease, osteoarthritis, asthma, depression, heartburn and acid reflux, infertility, and more. Studies also show that bariatric surgery patients are more likely to keep the weight off, which of course means living a healthier, longer life.
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HOUSE CALL: Weight-loss surgery can help eliminate diabetes
