AHRQ Review Shows Bariatric Surgery May Help Treat Diabetes in Some People

Bariatric surgery may be effective in the short term for treating diabetes in some moderately obese patients, a new research review from AHRQ’s Effective Health Care Program finds. The findings were published in the June 5 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). Evidence suggests that laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding, Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, and sleeve gastrectomy are effective for treating diabetes and impaired glucose tolerance in patients with a body mass index of at least 30 but less than 35. Although the short-term harms associated with bariatric surgery were relatively low, there is not enough evidence to determine if bariatric surgery is effective for these patients over the long term. These findings can be found in the full review, Bariatric Surgery and Nonsurgical Therapy in Adults with Metabolic Conditions and a Body Mass Index of 30.0 to 34.9 kg/m2.