Role of bariatric surgery in cure of Type 2 diabetes in morbidly obese patients?

By Dr. Anis Ansari
MercyOne Clinton Medical Center Health Plaza

Morbid obesity is one of the most challenging health issues around the world. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 42.4 percent of U.S. adults have morbid obesity and another 31.1 percent are overweight. By 2030, it is estimated that 50 percent of the population will have morbid obesity.

A person is considered morbidly obese if body mass index (BMI) is more than 30; a person is considered overweight if BMI is between 25 and 29. More than 37.3 million Americans have been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes while 96 million are in danger of being declared diabetic (prediabetes). A morbidly obese person’s risk for developing Type 2 diabetes is 10 times higher than a person overweight.

Type 2 diabetes is one of the most common medical issue related to obesity, which has led researchers to a key question: Can weight loss programs or bariatric surgery cure type 2 diabetes?   

According to a review of 620 scientific studies involving more than 100,000 patients, researchers concluded that bariatric surgery, particularly gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy, improved blood glucose levels in nearly all cases and resulted in full remission in 80 percent of patients. National Institutes of Health guidelines recommend weight loss surgery for people with Type 2 diabetes whose BMI is above 35.

Bariatric surgery involves removing part of the stomach, which immediately impacts the way blood glucose is processed in the digestive tract. This alteration moves food directly to the small intestine, causing increased production of the hormone called glucagon like peptide (GLP-1), which increases insulin and controls blood sugar better. Strict diabetic control can reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke, kidney failure, blindness, nerve damage and amputation of extremities. Bariatric surgery is much more effective than medications alone in managing diabetes in this population of patients. 

Similarly, rapid weight loss decreases peripheral tissues’ resistance to insulin, decreasing the need for insulin. Many patients whose weight is not high enough for surgery, would benefit from a medically supervised weight loss program. Even weight loss of just 5 to 10 percent of body weight will have a positive effect on related health conditions.

The most important element in a weight loss program remains the patient’s motivation to improve their lives. People who are struggling to lose weight can make appointment in our medically supervised weight loss clinic to discuss their options. 

Dietary modification, lifestyle changes, exercise and medications are important components of a weight loss program which can go a long way in achieving goals of a better life and longer life expectancy. Contact the MercyOne Clinton Bariatric (Weight Loss) Surgery program at 563-244-7551 or visit MercyOne.org.