Weight loss - unintentional

Definition:

Unintentional weight loss is a decrease in body weight that is not voluntary. In other words, you did not try to loss the weight by dieting or exercising.

See: Intentional weight loss

Alternative Names:

Loss of weight

Common Causes:

There are many causes of unintentional weight loss. Some are listed below:

• AIDS
  
• Cancer
  
• Depression
  
• Diarrhea that is chronic (lasts a long time)
  
• Drugs, including amphetamines, chemotherapeutic agents, laxative abuse, and thyroid medications
  
• Drug abuse
  
• Eating disorders, including anorexia nervosa and bulimia
  
• Hyperthyroidism
  
• Infection
  
• Loss of appetite
  
• Malnutrition
  
• Manipulative behavior (in children)
  
• Painful mouth sores , mouth braces, or a loss of teeth that prevent you from eating normally
  
• Smoking
  

Note: This list may not be all inclusive

• Review Date: 1/22/2007
  
• Reviewed By: Benjamin W. Van Voorhees, MD, MPH, Assistant Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.