Cleveland Clinic research shows weight-loss surgery extends life and reduces serious health risks more than GLP-1 drugs for obese diabetic patients. The findings highlight that surgery still provides unmatched, long-term metabolic benefits. Credit: Shutterstock A major study from Cleveland Clinic found that people with both obesity and type 2 diabetes who had weight-loss surgery lived longer and experienced fewer serious health issues than those who used GLP-1 receptor agonist medications alone.