Study: Bariatric surgery benefits glycemic control in Type 2 diabetes patients

Editor's Note

Bariatric surgery is more effective than lifestyle and medical interventions in glycemic control for Type 2 diabetes patients, according to findings published February 27 in JAMA.

The clinical trial involved four health systems and 262 participants, 96 of whom received medical- and lifestyle-focused treatment and 166 of whom underwent bariatric surgery. After 7-12 years, those who had bariatric surgery—including gastric bypass, sleeve gastrectomy, and adjustable gastric banding—had superior glycemic control with less diabetes medication use and higher rates of diabetes remission.

Specifically, 6.2% of those with treatment focused only on medication and lifestyle interventions had diabetes remission, compared to 18.2% of those who had bariatric surgery. In addition, 19.3% of patients’ weight was lost after 12 years in the surgery group, compared to 10.8% in the intervention group. 

Gastric bypass was found to be the most effective among the surgery types for weight loss. 

Although these surgeries have declined in recent years with the introduction of popular weight-loss drugs like Ozempic, the findings suggest that they remain a promising option for Type 2 diabetes patients, researchers write.

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