A study published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology examined intragastric balloons' effectiveness on metabolic outcomes associated with obesity.
Researchers analyzed 10 randomized controlled trials and 30 observational studies with 5,668 patients.
Here's what they found.
1. There was moderate-quality evidence for improvement in most metabolic parameters for subjects assigned to intragastric balloon therapy compared to conventional non-surgical therapy.
2. The odds ratio for diabetes resolution after intragastric balloons therapy was 1.4.
3. The balloons had a 1.3 percent rate of serious adverse events.
Researchers concluded, "IGBs are more effective than diet in improving obesity-related metabolic risk factors with a low rate of adverse effects, however the strength of the evidence is limited given the small number of participants and lack of long-term follow-up."