Gastric banding was just as successful as metformin alone in stabilizing prediabetes or new-onset type 2 diabetes in the Beta Cell Restoration through Fat Mitigation study (BetaFat), an NIH-supported study.
The study is part of the Restoring Insulin Secretion (RISE) study, a set of 3 clinical trials designed to find ways to reverse or slow the loss of insulin production and release in people at risk for type 2 diabetes.
In this study, 44 patients were randomly assigned to have a gastric banding procedure, and 44 were taking metformin. After 2 years, people in the gastric banding group had lost an average of 23 lb , vs 4 lb in the metformin group. Insulin sensitivity improved similarly in both groups, as did function of insulin-producing cells. Both groups showed small improvements in blood glucose levels.