The article "Study: Weight-loss surgery may help reverse diabetes" [News, March 27] reports that two studies conclude surgery is more effective than medication for "diabesity." In the story, a physician describes stomach-reducing surgeries as "a very appropriate and excellent treatment for diabetes."
There was no mention of how changing the diet can control blood sugars. Is avoiding responsibility and finding a "quick fix" the answer to the oldest problem in the world? What about how food contributed to the problem in the first place?
There also was no mention of the inherent risks this surgery presents. The most severe include intestinal leaks, obstructions, infection, internal bleeding and even death in rare cases.
Submitting to surgery and giving up the hope of healthy eating seems like the easy way to end up accomplishing nothing. I work with many people who regain weight because processed foods are easier to digest than proteins. Shouldn't the responsibility fall upon us to change the way we eat?
Linda Fiveson, Syosset
Editor's note: The writer is a nutritionist.
