Researchers have found that undergoing bariatric surgery may effectively eliminate ALL signs of type 2 diabetes. Bariatric surgery’s benefit for type 2 diabetes mellitus was the subject of a study recently published in The American Journal of Medicine. The meta-analysis, comprised of 621 studies from 1990-2006, showed that 78.1% of diabetic patients experienced complete resolution. In addition, the 86.6% of the patients’ diabetes improved or was resolved after undergoing bariatric surgery. Type 2 diabetes mellitus has been found to be directly influenced by obesity. The primary risk factor for this disease is obesity, and 90% of all patients are overweight or obese.

Understanding the Surgical Procedures’ Findings
The involved studies were far-reaching, and involved 135,246 patients.  Of these, 3188 patients experienced resolution of both the clinical and laboratory manifestations of type 2 diabetes. 11,175 patients reported both weight loss and diabetes resolution; these were completely separate from the 4,070 diabetic patients involved in those studies.

    These patients were categorized by the surgical method they underwent: laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding, gastroplasty, gastric bypass, and biliopancreatic diversion/duodenal switch (BPD/DS). The results were as follows: gastric banding (56.7% resolution); gastroplasty (79.7%); gastric bypass (80.3%); and BPD/DS (95.1%).
    Two years later, the resolutions were as follows: gastric banding (58.3% resolution); gastroplasty (77.5%); gastric bypass (70.9%); and BPD/DS (95.9%).
    As for the percent excess weight loss, the resolutions were: laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (46.2%); gastroplasty (55.5%); gastric bypass (59.7%); and BPD/DS (63.6%).

“This systematic review and meta-analysis demonstrate that bariatric surgery has a powerful treatment effect in morbidly obese persons with type 2 diabetes; 82% of patients had resolution of the clinical and laboratory manifestations of diabetes in the first 2 years after surgery, and 62% remained free of diabetes more than 2 years after surgery (80% and 75% for the total group),” states Henry Buchwald, MD, PhD, Department of Surgery, University of Minnesota. “Randomized clinical trials comparing surgery and medical therapies for type 2 diabetes are urgently needed. Considering the potential benefits for millions of people, such trials should assess the risk/benefit ratio of surgery in less obese (BMI 30-35 kg/m2) populations, as well as in the morbidly obese (BMI>35 kg/m2) population.”
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/141314.php

Former president Bill Clinton has teamed up with the American Heart Association (AHA) for this national initiative on childhood obesity. Known as the “Alliance Healthcare Initiative,” this program was developed by The Alliance for a Healthier Generation

Now, the Alliance has set its sights on ensuring that American children maintain proper health, and receive routine visits to both primary care physicians and dietitians. It is the goal of the initiative to offer coverage is to an estimated 6.2 million children (25% of all overweight American children) within three years. In an interview, Clinton stated: “I think we want the children of America to know, No. 1, that we want them to be healthy, we want them to grow up healthy, and we want them to start now.”

The issue of childhood obesity represents a very serious threat to the nation; many parents simply don’t know where to turn, while millions can’t afford healthcare at all. As such, Clinton said he hoped that this new initiative would provide much-needed hope for many parents faced with a problem that was “somewhere between a problem and a nightmare.”

The Alliance for a Healthier Generation, which was created in 2005 by the AHA and the William J. Clinton Foundation, has since scored some major victories for childhood health. This includes limiting access to sugary sodas at nationwide schools. This new collaboration, which Clinton called “a really big deal,” has attracted some valuable participants. These include leading medical and insurance giants and major conglomerates. Among these are: the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Dietetic Association, Aetna, WellPoint, Blue Cross, PepsiCo and Owens Corning.

In light of the struggling economy and rising obesity-related healthcare costs – which may cost more than $14 billion annually — AHA president Dr. Tim Gardner feels that this new initiative may have come along at the perfect time. “We’re here today because there is an obesity epidemic in this country,” Gardner said. “One in three teens in this country are overweight or obese. There’s a risk that this generation will be the first in our history to have a shorter lifespan than their parents.”
http://news.yahoo.com/s/hsn/20090221/hl_hsn/billclintonhealthgroupstotacklechildhoodobesity;_ylt=AgblYUAFs7.QCBCqMYxtAC.ISbYF