Bariatric surgery Benefits: Cut diabetes and heart attack risk and keep fat off

Important information for 600 million people worldwide considered to obese, as per the World Health Organization. Bariatric surgery has been found to slash the risk of diabetes and heart attack while keeping fat off, unveils the largest comprehensive investigation of bariatric surgery.

The research spanning around four years and based on nearly 8,000 patients have unveiled that health benefits of bariatric surgery is clear and it is vital for people who are severely obese. In England alone, there are 1.4 million people, who could be benefitted from the procedure. Currently, around 8,000 people receive the treatment on the NHS.

The study researchers said that if all of the 1.4 million people take up the procedure that around 5,000 heart attacks and 40,000 cases of type-2-diabetes can be prevented. In the study, the researchers have compared 3,882 patients who underwent weight loss surgery with the same number of people who did not undergo knife to shrink stomach.

The researchers considered the effects of all the three types of bariatric surgery- including gastric bypass, sleeve gastrectomy and gastric banding. Though all led to good amount of weight loss and sustained weight loss between 20kg and 48kg, most effective was found to be gastric bypass.

The weight stayed off, which helped in reducing the risk of developed type-2-diabetes, high blood pressure, angina and heart attacks. There were volunteers, who were already having diabetes. In them, the diabetes condition improved and 60% stopped taking medication for the same.

Study’s lead researcher Dr Ian Douglas said, “The results are really encouraging. Obviously we would love to help people lose weight in other ways, through exercise and healthy diets, but that's difficult. Diets do not always work well for everyone”.

Douglas has affirmed that the research does not mean that surgery is correct for everyone, but it can prove quite effective. Dr Alasdair Rankin of Diabetes UK thinks that bariatric surgery should be offered along with ongoing support and plans to follow the same for long time.