For most people, weight loss is an important goal, either for aesthetic reasons or as a part of improving overall health. Indeed, with obesity so widespread in the United States, losing weight is a national health imperative. Sometimes, though, weight loss occurs without any apparent cause or even if the person wasn’t even attempting to lose weight. This kind of unexplained weight loss can be a sign of any of a number of underlying health conditions that require medical intervention.
Under normal circumstances, weight loss is only achieved when the body is in a calorie deficit; this means consuming fewer calories from food intake than are expended through normal bodily functions and physical activity. When people are trying to lose weight, they usually adopt a reduced calorie diet or add an exercise regimen to their weekly schedule. And then, depending on the magnitude of the calorie deficit and each person’s unique metabolic properties, the body starts using fat deposits to meet its energy needs.
The truth is that there are a wide variety of potential causes of unintentional or involuntary weight loss. Studies have suggested that the actions of various hormones and cytokines (proteins involved in cell signaling) may be common to the majority of causes, but more research is needed to understand the specific mechanisms. The process of diagnosing the cause of unintentional weight loss can be difficult, and actually in about 25% of cases no precise cause is able to be identified.
Because there are so many possible causes, almost anyone can develop some type of condition that has involuntary weight loss as a symptom. It tends to be more common, however, as people become older adults; it is especially prevalent in geriatric patients who live in nursing homes or other assisted care facilities. Also, research has shown a correlation between unintentional weight loss and three categories of potential cause: cancer, depression, and gastrointestinal disorders. Below are examples of these categories and other common causes:
Unintentional weight loss may seem like an unambiguously good thing to most people, but more often than not it points to a health concern (especially for older people) that shouldn’t be ignored. And while it’s natural for a person’s body mass to fluctuate over time, significant unintentional changes are a red flag. Doctors recommend that you seek medical care if you lose 5% of your total body weight over a 6-12 month period without having made substantive changes to your diet and physical activity levels. Depending on your medical history and other symptoms, the doctor may use blood tests, hormone panels, or imaging tests to clarify the underlying cause.
Losing weight without intending to is a real concern for some, but for many others the opposite is true. Over 40% of Americans are obese, and that brings a series of associated medical conditions. The multibillion dollar diet and exercise industries promise life-changing results when you buy their products, but few people actually find sustainable, long-term weight loss. Incorporating radical new changes into your life is hard to do, and so most people end up losing some weight and then gaining it all back within months or years.
If you, like other Americans, have tried traditional weight loss methods without success, it might be time to consider a new path. At True You Weight Loss, we are dedicated to helping clients take a new approach to their weight loss journey. Non-surgical procedures like ESG help you permanently change eating habits that will lead to a fat-burning calorie deficit that is sustainable over the long term. If you’d like to learn more about ESG or any of our other offerings, please contact us today to solicitar una consulta.
Dr. Christopher McGowan, MD, a leader in endobariatrics, specializes in non-surgical obesity treatments and is triple-board-certified in Internal Medicine, Gastroenterology, and Obesity Medicine. Renowned for pioneering endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty (ESG) with over 2,000 procedures, his global influence and research contributions define him as a top expert.