Does Weight Loss Surgery Put Type 2 Diabetes into Remission Long Term?
Weight loss surgery can put type 2 diabetes into remission for many people, but the results change over time. A study published in 2026 followed 186 people with obesity and type 2 diabetes for up to five years after a gastric sleeve or gastric bypass, and found that remission rates were strong early on but declined by the five year mark.
Who Was Studied and How the Research Was Done
Researchers looked back at records of 186 patients who had either a gastric sleeve or a Roux en Y gastric bypass at a single hospital between 2009 and 2020. Remission was measured at two years and again at five years after surgery. Because the study reviewed existing records rather than running a controlled trial, it is described as a retrospective cohort study.
What the Researchers Found About Diabetes Remission
At two years after surgery, about 57 in 100 people had achieved diabetes remission, meaning their blood sugar levels were in a healthy range without diabetes medication. By five years, that figure had fallen to about 36 in 100. Of the people who had reached remission at two years, roughly one in three experienced a return of diabetes by the five year mark. People who had been living with diabetes for a shorter time before surgery, and those who were younger, were more likely to maintain remission.
What This Study Does and Does Not Tell Us
The findings come from one hospital in Scotland, which means results may not apply equally to all populations or settings. The study was retrospective rather than a randomised controlled trial, so individual results will vary. Long term follow up after bariatric surgery remains important, as the research shows remission is not always permanent.
About this research: Determinants of Diabetes Remission and Relapse following Sleeve Gastrectomy and Gastric Bypass: A 2 and 5 Year Follow Up Study, Obesity Facts, 2026. Read the study summary
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