But even though weigh loss surgery has come out of the closet and into the medical limelight, there are plenty of caveats. The two most common forms of the procedure, gastric bypass and lap band surgery, generally cost tens of thousands of dollars and are only sometimes covered by insurance. There are a number of risks associated with the surgeries and side effects after. Plus, it's the beginning, not the end of managing diabetes. Even Randy Jackson is quick to point out that the procedure was only a start. He says he's now sworn off the most of the sugary, fatty Southern food he grew up with and he tries to exercise every day. "Gastric bypass helped me tremendously," he said. "But I still had to make plenty of other lifestyle changes."

So what's does it mean for us? Despite both studies and success stories of weight-loss surgery, it's always better to go with old-fashioned diet and exercise first. It's cheaper, less dangerous and you can control what you eat and how you move—rather putting yourself into the hands of a surgeon. Plus, even if you do have the surgery, like Jackson, Star Jones and Al Roker, in order to keep the weight off and stay healthy and fit, there's no way around eating right and exercising as the key to feeling great every day and avoiding the diseases that cut too many African American lives short.

 Linda Villarosa is a health and fitness writer based in Brooklyn. Her website is www.lindavillarosa.com.