Obesity surgery seen as potential diabetes cure

A study was done on 55 obese people suffering from type 2 diabetes. Half of the group underwent laparoscopic gastric banding, where an adjustable silicone cuff is installed around the upper stomach, limiting how much a person can eat. The other half received standard diabetes care. Those who had the stomach reduction surgery were 5 times more likely to see their diabetes disappear, with most patients able to stop taking their prescriptions. Both patient groups learned about low-fat, high-fiber diets and were encouraged to exercise. Both groups could meet with a health professional every six weeks for two years. 22 of the 29 patients who had the surgery showed diabetes remission after two years; in the standard-care group, only four of the 26 patients achieved that goal. More research is needed to determine how effective is it, for what spectrum of patients, over what period of time and at what cost.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/diet.fitness/01/22/diabetes.obesity.surgery.ap/index.html