Bariatric surgery for diabetes: the International Diabetes Federation takes a position

Abstract

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) and obesity are both complex and chronic medical disorders, each with an escalating worldwide prevalence. When obesity is severe, and/or available medical therapies fail to control the diabetes, bariatric surgery becomes a cost-effective therapy for T2D. When there are other major comorbidities and cardiovascular risk, the option of bariatric surgery becomes even more worthy of consideration. National guidelines for bariatric surgery need to be developed and implemented for people with T2D. With this in mind, the International Diabetes Federation convened a multidisciplinary working group to develop a position statement. The key recommendations cover describing those eligible for surgery and who should be prioritized, incorporating bariatric surgery into T2D treatment algorithms, performing surgery in centers with multidisciplinary teams that are experienced in the management of both obesity and diabetes, and developing bariatric surgery registries and reporting standards.