Regaining control in the battle against diabetes
Whether it’s a relative, friend, colleague, or even yourself, the odds are you’ll know at least one person who suffers from diabetes.
With Diabetes Week 2018 taking place in the UK from 11-17 June, it’s a good time to take a closer look at the condition, which affects hundreds of millions of people across the world, and the progress being made to tackle it.
What is diabetes?
With more than one in 12 people suffering from diabetes[1], it’s one of the most common diseases worldwide. Diabetes occurs when the pancreas doesn’t make enough insulin to turn the food you eat into glucose. When this happens, diabetes sufferers are left with high amounts of sugar in their blood. Eventually, this can lead to major complications, such as heart disease and amputations.
There are two types of diabetes:
- Type 1 diabetes, which can develop as early as childhood and leaves patients needing insulin injections or an insulin pump to control their blood sugar levels.
- Type 2 diabetes, which typically affects overweight, middle-age and elderly patients. Sometimes type 2 patients will need medication, while other times a healthy diet and regular exercise can control the disease.
Diabetes Week 2018
Between 11 June and 17 June, Diabetes Week 2018 is taking place across the UK. Whether you’re a diabetes patient, care for someone who is affected by the disease, or are just interested in finding out more about the condition, Diabetes Week is a great opportunity to tell your story, chat with other diabetes patients, and take part in conversations about the disease. Diabetes UK has got lots of ideas for how to get the most out of Diabetes Week, including tips for talking about diabetes with your friends and family, your employers and colleagues, and healthcare professionals.
Weight loss surgery for type 2 diabetes patients
For patients battling with type 2 diabetes, losing weight can often be an effective part of managing the disease. For people who have found it difficult to lose weight through a healthy diet and exercise, weight loss (or bariatric) surgery could be an effective solution – and studies have shown positive results for those opting to go undergo this type of surgery.
Where’s the evidence?
A recent French study[2] of 15,650 obese patients found half of those who were taking diabetes medication and underwent bariatric surgery were no longer taking their medication six years later. But for those who didn’t have weight loss surgery, only 9% had stopped needing their diabetes medication six years later. That’s quite a difference!
In another study of type 2 diabetes patients, 62% showed no signs of diabetes six years after bariatric surgery. What’s more, their blood pressure, cholesterol and triglyceride levels had all improved too[3].
At The Hospital Group;
We provide three types of weight loss surgery that could help you combat the risks of diabetes and get the right outcome for you and your body. The three types of bariatric surgery delivered are:
- Gastric band surgery, which involves an adjustable silicone ring being placed around the stomach. This simulates the feeling of being full and controls the amount of food you can eat.
- Gastric bypass surgery, which is suited to patients with a body-mass index (or BMI) over 40. Your surgeon creates a smaller stomach pouch, which means you can’t eat as much and reduces your appetite.
- Gastric sleeve surgery, which is a relatively new procedure that involves reducing the size of your stomach. It is particularly suited to patients with a BMI over 35.
Interested in finding out more? Book a consultation with one of our friendly team to discuss your weight loss surgery options!
Alternatively read more below:
[1] What is Diabetes, Diabetes.co.uk, accessed June 2018
[2] More evidence weight loss surgery can improve diabetes symptoms, Reuters, 2 March 2018
[3] How Weight Loss Surgery Helps Type 2 Diabetes, WebMD, 26 February 2017