A diabetic tests his blood sugar level in ViennaBy Lisa Rapaport (Reuters Health) – Intensive medical management with supervised diet and exercise may work as well as weight-loss surgery to help diabetics get blood sugar levels under control, at least in the short term, a small study suggests. Researchers followed 40 people with diabetes and poorly controlled blood sugar for one year, giving half of them weight-loss surgery and offering the other half a non-surgical alternative, so-called intensive medical management. Both options produced similar reductions in blood sugar. “Individuals motivated to impact their health can have substantial diabetes and weight improvements,” said senior study author Dr. Allison Goldfine, a researcher at the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston.