Weight loss is an effective way to treat type 2 diabetes.
A healthy diet and regular exercise are the thought to be the best ways to lose weight. However, these methods do not work for everyone. Some people with diabetes are turning to lap band surgery as a successful weight loss method.
Diabetes
Diabetes is a disease that affects how the body uses blood glucose (blood sugar). Both diabetes type 1 and diabetes type 2 involve the body's inability to process or produce insulin, the hormone responsible for regulating blood glucose. Having too much glucose in the blood can lead to other serious health issues.
Lap Band Surgery
The lap band is a flexible gastric banding system that reduces the amount of food the stomach can hold and gradually causes weight loss. Lap band surgery is a laparoscopic procedure.
Qualifying Factors
A patient must meet two qualifications in order to receive lap band surgery. The patient must be 18 years old and be at least 100 pounds overweight or have a BMI of 40 or higher. A BMI of 35 and a weight-related health condition like diabetes is also a qualifying factor.
Benefits
Benefits of lap band treatment for type 2 diabetes are weight loss and remission of diabetes.
Prevalence
According to John B. Dixon, MMBS at Monash University in Victoria, Australia, 64 percent of patients experienced remission of their type 2 diabetes one year after lap band surgery.
