When you hear bariatric surgery, most of us think of “stomach stapling.” But that’s an older form of bariatric that isn’t used often anymore. Now there are better long-term solutions with healthier outcomes.
“Today’s bariatric surgery is different from what many people imagine,” said Dr. Andrew Martin of Northwest Health. “Modern surgical options are safer and more precise; and offers total-body health benefits that go well beyond weight loss.”
Dr. Mary Elizabeth Patti, an expert in blood sugar, helps patients who are overweight and have blood sugar concerns make a plan for themselves. A plan can be impacted by so many aspects of a person’s life, from their access to health care and food security to their social support system and the responsibilities they have at home. She understands that all of those factors play a role in developing blood sugar concerns and managing weight.
Dr. Patti ran a randomized clinical trial in four U.S. cities for over 12 years that compared bariatric surgery to meds and lifestyle to see what could help people with blood sugar concerns. The study showed that surgery helped people the most as they had lower blood sugar levels, more weight loss, reduced risk factors for heart disease and reaped other benefits. When her team looked at social backgrounds, they saw the same results across the board.
GLP-1s weren’t available when the study first started. The study had less data on them. But some people were taking them by the time the study ended, and the people who had surgery were still doing better than them.
“Bariatric surgery remains an underutilized approach. Even in comparison to these really wonderful medications that we now have access to, it is still better,” said Dr. Patti. “I’m not a surgeon, but I think we need to keep in mind that surgery offers an approach which can be a durable therapy for [blood sugar concerns] and obesity.”
They found that, with the GLP-1 craze, people are less interested in bariatric surgery. However, if a person needs to lose 100 pounds, surgery is a better fit. Surgery and GLP-1s act similarly. The surgery lowers appetite and changes how food is digested, producing more GLP-1 hormones after eating. The difference is that surgery is a permanent change. Medication is something many people stop taking because of side effects or insurance problems.
Depending on your needs, medical history and lifestyle, your health plan needs to be tailored to you. Dr Patti wants surgery to be discussed as an option and not forgotten about with the buzz around GLP-1 meds. She recognized that everyone is different, saying, “But you know, when we’re talking to an individual patient, the question is, what’s the best choice for that particular patient?”
