Unexplained Weight Loss May Not Always Be Good News; What Does It Really Mean For Your Health?

There are many people across the world who would do anything to achieve their weight loss goals. But there are many who do that unintentionally. Even though it may seem counterintuitive, according to experts, losing weight without even trying may not be a good thing.

Doctors say a noticeable drop in weight without changing how much you eat, exercise, or try other ways, is a matter of grave concern.

According to experts, unexplained weight loss is a noticeable drop in your body weight without trying – which comes to around 4.5 kg or 5 per cent of your body weight in six-12 months.

While even your day-to-day, weight varies because of hormones, water retention, and other factors, anything abnormal signals an underlying health issue - from cancer and gastric troubles or diabetes to even mental health problems.

There are several health factors that can lead to weight loss when you do not want to. Some conditions drastically reduce your appetite, while others prevent your body from absorbing calories, or increase the rate at which you burn calories. A few of these include:

Doctors say more than one-third of people who get tested to find out the reason for their unintentional weight loss is cancer. According to UCLA, the number one cause of weight loss, and about four in 10 cancer diagnoses begin this way. Dropping weight is not just a sign of stage 3-4 cancer; it is also reported in even those with early-stage colon, pancreas, and lung cancers.

Experts say changes in metabolism or appetite can lead to unexplained weight loss.

Around 10-20 per cent of unexpected weight loss owes to gastrointestinal or GI issues like chronic diarrhoea, inflammatory bowel diseases, celiac disease, or overuse of laxatives. Many of these gastric issues make it difficult to digest food and absorb nutrients, leading to malnutrition and weight loss.

Most people suffering from GI disorders suffer from inflammation of the bowels or colon that makes them lose their appetite and leads to chronic diarrhoea.

Mental health issues

Apart from eating disorders, even mental health problems like high anxiety levels, continuous stress, depression, and obsessive-compulsive disorder may also affect your appetite.

If you are not too interested in eating or sleeping and are missing meals, you are going to lose weight. Doctors say there are many medications that are used to treat mental health disorders, which also affect appetite, taste, and smell and cause repeated and chronic nausea.

Weight loss also happens because of the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, which include loss of smell, trouble swallowing, loss of appetite, nausea, and trouble feeding yourself due to a lack of muscle control.

For those who have oral issues – trouble chewing, inflammed gums that cause pain, cavities, gum diseases and even tmporomandibular joint issues and toothaches, can have unintentional weight loss due to lack of proper food consumption.

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