Cheap Eats: Dine On A Dime!
Jun 19, 2008 11:49 pm US/Eastern
Weight Loss Procedure May Help Type II Diabetics
Study: Lap Band Surgery May Cure Type II Diabetes In 3 Years
MIAMI (CBS4) ―
Obesity is one of the main risk factors for type 2 diabetes. Now studies show a certain type of weight loss surgery is helping obese patients not only lose weight but also eliminate a health condition that could kill them.
CBS4's Health Specialist Dr. Sean Kenniff took a look at the connection between lap band surgery and Type II diabetes.
When Joe Bromley reached 342 lbs. last year, he knew he had to do something to lose the weight.
"It was hard for me to breathe. I couldn't bend over to tie my shoes. I was on the verge of having diabetes," said Bromley.
Since then, Joe has lost 130 lbs. and owes it all to the lap band procedure. Approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2001 the surgery makes the stomach smaller without the stapling.
"It's gaining popularity in the United States because it is certainly a safer effective alternative to more radical operations," said Dr. Thomas Bass with Memorial Healthcare System.
The lap band procedure involves wrapping a silicone collar around the stomach to form a small pouch which becomes a
new stomach. While it has been proven to help people lose weight, more amazing is the fact that lap band surgery is helping Type II diabetes patients normalize glucose control and reduce or even eliminate medications within 2 years of the procedure, according to Dr. Bass.
"We know that in our Type II diabetic patients that have lap band surgery about 75% to 80% of those patients will essentially be cured of their diabetes," said Bass.
Lap band patients are expected to lose one to two pounds a week. The key is a change in eating and exercise habits.
"It's about changing your lifestyle and adopting new habits to replace old habits. Joe has changed his diet in a positive way. He has embraced exercise," said Bass.
For Joe Bromley, his hypertension, back and knee problems went away and the procedure helped him avoid diabetes.
"Everything has changed in my life. I feel positive, I feel better about myself. I exercise three to four times a week, my whole eating habits are different and I feel proud of myself," said Bromley.
Dr. Bass said lap band surgery is considered generally safer than gastric bypass because that procedure is a permanent rearrangement of the gastrointestinal tract.
But it's important to remember any surgery is a risk and could have potential side effects.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
Cheap Eats: Irish Fare & Italian Dishes
Click to enlarge
Stumble It!
