Individuals with type 2 diabetes improve their quality of life after having weight loss surgery, latest research has revealed.
American academics from Cleveland Clinic have found that those with type 2 diabetes who have undergone bariatric or metabolic surgery have improved their physical health, gained higher amounts of energy and reduced their body pain.
Whereas, it has been revealed that people who control their condition with medical treatment alone do not experience the same benefits as those who have had surgery.
Top researcher, Dr Ali Aminian said: “Chronic diseases, such as severe obesity and diabetes, can negatively affect quality of life.
“It is important to study the effects of different treatments on the well-being of patients in their daily lives.”
Dr Aminian and his fellow scientists split 104 people with type 2 diabetes into three groups, with each group receiving different treatments.
Participants in the first group relied on prescription drugs and received extensive counselling sessions.
Group B endured Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery alongside medical therapy, whereas those in the last group had a sleeve gastrectomy and medical treatment.
In addition, all of the participants had to fill in two standard quality of life surveys and a diabetes questionnaire once every five years.
Diet control, meal plans and social lives were all factors that were assessed from the diabetes questionnaire.
The results reveal that 78 participants who underwent surgery enhanced their overall health scores, resulting in better physical health, increased energy levels and reduced body pain.
Only 26 participants who received medical therapy alone improved their entire health score.
Co-author, Dr Sangeeta Kashyap said: “Patients with long duration of diabetes tend to have poor quality of life, especially when they develop microvascular complications like eye and kidney diseases.
“When diabetes is coupled with obesity, the impact on lower quality of life can be related to the mechanical effects of obesity as well, which leads to poor mobility and bodily pain.”
Dr Kashyap added: “Significant weight loss and insulin independence following metabolic surgery drive the improvement in general health measures and quality of life for patients with type 2 diabetes.”
Dr Aminian said: “Our findings suggest that psychological wellbeing needs may require more attention in metabolic surgical patients.
“As part of our multidisciplinary approach to weight management at Cleveland Clinic, our patients have appointments with psychologists before and after surgery.”
He added: “The study results highlight that we may need greater emphasis on that aspect of the treatment, such as identification of psychosocial and emotional factors before surgery that can predict outcomes of surgery, as well as continuous psychosocial support after surgery.”
The study is now available in the journal ‘Annals of Surgery’.
