Weight-Loss Surgery Stymies Diabetes Better Than Drugs

Weight-loss surgery may be a better way to treat diabetes than traditional drug therapy alone, according to a study that found the operation was more likely to keep the chronic condition at bay for at least three years.

People who were overweight or mildly obese gained the same benefit from surgery as those who were heavier, a finding that should expand use of the procedure, said Philip Schauer, the lead researcher and director of the Bariatric and Metabolic Institute at the Cleveland Clinic. Most insurance companies limit coverage to those who are morbidly obese or have other medical conditions.