A new UPMC study has showed that bariatric surgery can play a significant role in controlling Type 2 diabetes. Published online Wednesday by JAMA Surgery, the study showed benefits for even those on the lower end of the obesity range.

Researchers said more improvements were noticed in the surgical groups than in the lifestyle-only treatment group. As many as 61 adults aged 25 to 55 years with type 2 diabetes and obesity were evaluated by Anita P. Courcoulas, MD, MPH, of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and colleagues for the study.

The lead author, Anita Courcoulas, chief of minimally invasive bariatric and general surgery at UPMC, said that previous studies have showed that the surgery has the likelihood of improving diabetes, but the latest has proved that it has positive effects lasting as long as three years.

Nearly two-third of the weight loss surgery group was in partial or complete remission after three years. The study has made it clear that bariatric surgery serves the purpose of an effective-diabetes-management technique for patients with a body-mass index of 30 to 35.

Lead author Anita Courcoulas, chief of minimally invasive bariatric and general surgery said UPMC is looking forward to join hands with other institutions to conduct additional research in order to figure out whether the effects can last even longer, say five or seven years.

“But the three-year results are certainly very exciting”, said Courcoulas. He added that gastric bypass helps patients get benefits from the weight loss as well as from hormonal changes that come from bypassing part of the intestine.