Weight Loss Surgery Helps Prevent Diabetes

The findings are based on a study of 73 severely obese patients who underwent laparoscopic gastric banding (LGB) and 49 comparison subjects who refused the surgery. Separate studies were conducted to assess the effect on diabetes prevention and on remission.

At the end of the 4-year follow-up, Dr. Antonio E. Pontiroli, from Ospedale San Paolo in Milan, Italy, and colleagues found that LGB-treated patients experienced a drop in BMI from 45.9 to 37.7, whereas comparison subjects experienced no significant change. BMI is a measure of obesity that takes into account a person's height and weight. Values between 20 and 25 are considered normal weight.

In the prevention study, five of the comparison subjects, but none of those treated with LGB developed type 2 diabetes during follow-up. In the remission study, one comparison subject and seven LGB-treated subjects became diabetes free.

LGB also had a beneficial effect on high blood pressure. Just one LGB-treated patient developed this problem compared with 11 subjects who didn't undergo the weight loss procedure. In addition, high blood pressure resolved in 15 LGB patients and in one comparison subject.

"These data suggest that LGB is effective in preventing and promoting the remission of established type 2 diabetes and" high blood pressure, the authors conclude.
Diabetes Care, November 2005.

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