GENERAL HEALTH
Unintentional Weight Loss: Causes & When to Worry
March 26, 2020
Symptom Guides > General Health > Unintentional Weight Loss: Causes & When to Worry

by
Dr. Chris Bodle
Dr. Bodle is a board certified emergency medicine physician. He received his medical degree from Indiana University School of Medicine, and completed his residency in emergency medicine at Emory University. In addition to K Health, he currently works as an Emergency Medicine physician in an Urban, Level 1 Trauma Center in the south east.
Your weight is determined by so much more than what you eat—-your activity level, health, age, nutrient absorption, and economic and social factors can all play a role in how much you weigh. It’s common to gain or lose weight—in fact, daily weight fluctuation is completely normal. However, if you’re noticing that you’re losing weight unintentionally without dieting, exercising, or changing your lifestyle, it’s worth taking notice. Unexplained weight loss, defined as losing 10 or more pounds (or 5% of your body weight) over 6-12 months, could be the sign of an underlying condition.
In this article, I’ll cover the following topics:
“Your body’s weight can fluctuate but when you lose more than 5% of your weight over 6-12 months, that’s typically a reason for concern.”
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by
Dr. Chris Bodle
Dr. Bodle is a board certified emergency medicine physician. He received his medical degree from Indiana University School of Medicine, and completed his residency in emergency medicine at Emory University. In addition to K Health, he currently works as an Emergency Medicine physician in an Urban, Level 1 Trauma Center in the south east.
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