Undergoing weight reduction surgery can successfully treat metabolic syndrome in most patients, reveals a new study. Researchers say metabolic
Undergoing weight reduction surgery can successfully treat metabolic syndrome in most patients, reveals a new study. Researchers say metabolic syndrome is a combination of conditions putting people at high risk for diabetes and heart disease. The syndrome is characterized by higher than normal blood sugar, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and obesity.
The study involved 645 patients who were treated for obesity with one of two common weight loss surgeries -- laparoscopic vertical banded gastroplasty, which creates a small pouch in the upper stomach to limit food intake, or laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery, which limits the absorption of calories by causing food to bypass most of the intestinal tract.About half of the group met the criteria for metabolic syndrome. All of the patients lost significant weight, but those who received the bypass operation shed the most pounds and also ended up with a lower body mass index (BMI) than those who had the banded gastroplasty surgery. However, both groups noted a significant reduction in the hallmarks of metabolic syndrome, resulting in nearly a 96-percent resolution of the condition a year later.
Thus it was seen that excess weight is largely responsible for metabolic syndrome and that losing weight via weight-reduction surgery is an effective treatment.
