This randomized trial directly compared gastric bypass with sleeve gastrectomy in adults with moderately obese, poorly controlled type 2 diabetes. The study asked whether the two operations produce similar metabolic effects even when performed in patients who do not necessarily meet the very highest BMI thresholds associated with bariatric surgery. At one year, diabetes remission was markedly more frequent after gastric bypass than after sleeve gastrectomy in the study population. Both procedures produced metabolic improvements, but bypass demonstrated a stronger effect on glycaemic control. The findings are clinically relevant because they reinforce the concept of metabolic surgery as a therapeutic option for selected patients with type 2 diabetes, not simply as a treatment for severe obesity. At the same time, the trial was relatively small and had a short follow-up compared with major long-term bariatric studies, so its findings should be interpreted within the broader evidence base. For surgeons, procedure selection should remain individualized. Diabetes duration, endogenous insulin reserve, BMI, reflux, nutritional risk and patient preferences all influence the choice between procedures. The practical lesson is that sleeve gastrectomy and gastric bypass can have different metabolic profiles, and the patient's dominant clinical problem—not weight alone—should inform operative planning.