A new study has found that more than half of people with type 2 diabetes saw their condition go away after having a kind of weight-loss surgery called gastric bypass.
What’s surprising is that this happened even when some of the patients didn’t lose a lot of weight.
The research looked at 815 people who had the surgery between 2008 and 2017. Scientists followed these people for around seven years after their surgery.
This makes the study one of the largest and longest of its kind. It gave doctors a lot of helpful information about how this surgery works for people with diabetes.
Type 2 diabetes is a health problem where the body has trouble using sugar properly. Over time, this can lead to serious problems with the heart, kidneys, eyes, and nerves. It’s usually linked to being overweight, but not always.
People with type 2 diabetes often take medicines to help lower their blood sugar, and some need to use insulin.
Gastric bypass surgery changes the stomach and small intestine to help people eat less and absorb fewer calories. It is often used to help people lose weight when diet and exercise are not enough. But doctors have also noticed that this surgery seems to help people with type 2 diabetes—sometimes even before they lose much weight. This new study helps explain who benefits most.
The researchers found that 51% of the patients no longer had diabetes several years after surgery. However, not everyone saw the same results. Some people were more likely to get better than others.
People had the best chance of seeing their diabetes go away if they were not using insulin before the surgery. Also, if they had been diagnosed with diabetes only a few years earlier, used fewer diabetes medicines, had better blood sugar levels before surgery, or lost more weight afterward, their chances were higher.
So, while weight loss still matters, it’s not the only reason people get better. The surgery seems to cause other helpful changes in the body, such as improving how the body uses insulin or affecting hormones that control blood sugar.
Dr. Omar Ghanem, who led the study, said this is an important message. He explained that people should know that the surgery helps with diabetes not just because of weight loss. There are other changes happening in the body that help control blood sugar better.
Still, Dr. Ghanem warned that this surgery is not a magic fix. People still need to take care of their health after surgery. They need to check their blood sugar, eat healthy food, and follow their doctor’s advice. Otherwise, the diabetes might come back.
Dr. Teresa LaMasters, a leading surgeon who was not part of the study, agreed with the findings. She said more doctors should think of this surgery as a way to treat diabetes—not just to help people lose weight. For many patients, surgery could offer a new chance at living a longer and healthier life without the constant burden of diabetes.
In the end, the study shows that gastric bypass surgery could be a powerful tool for people with type 2 diabetes. It won’t help everyone the same way, and it’s not an easy road, but for many people, it could be a life-changing option.
If you care about diabetes, please read studies that pomace olive oil could help lower blood cholesterol, and honey could help control blood sugar.
For more information about health, please see recent studies that blueberries strongly benefit people with metabolic syndrome, and results showing eggs in a plant-based diet may benefit people with type 2 diabetes.
Copyright © 2025 Knowridge Science Report. All rights reserved.
