Overweight and obese diabetics are encouraged to lose weight as a way of helping to control their disease. Losing just five to ten percent of your body weight can drastically reduce blood sugar levels.
If you are focused on long-term control and management of diabetes, getting a little trimmer is on the to-do list. However, this is difficult for many people. It’s hard to adapt to a new diet and increase exercise while also being responsible for blood sugar testing, medications, and the other tasks that come with this disease.
The Swallowable Gastric Balloon
Some of those who are diabetic and struggling with weight are turning to medical science to aid them in their quest to cut the fat. 
For a long time, the gastric bypass surgery was a gold standard in treating obesity. But for many, this treatment is over their budget. The surgery is involved, takes time to heal from, and permanently alters how the body works.
A relatively new non-surgical option is the swallowable gastric balloon. It’s procedure-free and can be set up while the patient is awake. The balloon comes in the form of a pill attached to a long, thin catheter.
The patient will swallow the pill with a glass of water at an in-office appointment. The catheter tube remains attached and hangs out of the patient’s mouth. It is used to fill the balloon with water until it gets to about the size of a grapefruit. Then, the tube is detached and pulled up and out of the patient’s mouth, leaving behind a sealed water balloon.
These newer gastric balloons are designed to remain intact inside the stomach for 16 weeks before breaking and releasing the water. Any balloon remnants pass safely out of the body during a bowel movement.
How Effective Is It?
Research has shown that the balloon is effective at causing weight loss by making patients feel full sooner at the dinner table. A June 2016 study released by the European Association for the Study of Obesity found that patients lost about 22 lbs. after 16 weeks, which was about 9.5% of their body weight, when using this device.
The swallowable gastric balloon also helped reduce:
- cholesterol levels
- triglycerides
- A1c levels
The authors also stated that the device could be used repeatedly to help patients maintain a healthy weight.
[expand title=”References“]
Swallowable Gastric Balloon Could Help the Obese Lose Weight Without Surgery. URL Link. Accessed May 18, 2017.
Study Of First Procedure-Free Gastric Balloon Shows They Are Safe and Lead To Similar Weight Loss As Other Balloon Procedures. URL Link. Accessed May 18, 2017.
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