Gastric surgery 'changed my life'

The UK's first large-scale study on the impact of weight-loss surgery has reported a large reduction in type 2 diabetes and other health problems.

A year after surgery, the cases of type 2 diabetes fell by 50%, and on average patients lost nearly 60% of their excess weight, the National Bariatric Surgery Registry said.

Jerome Timbrell, a self-employed safety officer, had his operation in October 2008. At the time his weight had made him a borderline diabetic.

Before the operation he was 23 stone with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 43, he is now 12-and-a-half stone with a BMI of 25.

Branwen Jeffreys reports.