Sudden, noticeable weight loss can happen after a stressful event. It can also be a sign of a serious illness. The information on this page may give you a better idea of the cause of your weight loss. Don't use it to diagnose yourself. See your GP for a diagnosis.
About unintentional weight loss
It is often normal to lose a noticeable amount of weight after, for example, the stress of changing jobs, divorce, redundancy orbereavement.
Weight often returns to normal when you begin to feel happier. This can be after you've had time to grieve or get used to the change.
Counsellingand support may be needed to help you get to this stage. If you think you might need help in coping with stress, seek advice or speak to your GP.
Significant weight loss can also be the result of aneating disorder, such asanorexiaorbulimia.
If you think you may have anorexia, try to seek help as soon as possible.
You could start by talking to a person you trust, such as a member of yourfamily or a friend. You could perhaps ask them to go with you to see your GP.
There are also several organisations you can talk to for information and advice, such as the eating disorders charityEating Disorders Association.
If your weight loss wasn't due to the above causes, and you didn't lose weight through dieting or exercising, see your GP. This is because you may have a health condition that needs to be treated.
How much weight loss is a concern
Your body weight can regularly fluctuate. But the persistent, unintentional loss of more than 5 per cent of your weight over6 to 12 months is usually a cause for concern.
Losing this much weight can be a sign ofmalnutrition. This is when a person's diet doesn't contain the right amount of nutrients.
Other symptoms linked to unintentional weight loss can include:
- tiredness
- loss of appetite
- a change in your toilet habits
- an increase in illnesses or infections
Other common causes of unexpected weight loss
Unintentional weight loss doesn't always have an identifiable underlying cause. As well as the causes mentioned above,it's often the result of:
- depression
- anoveractive thyroid gland (hyperthyroidism), or over-treating anunderactive thyroid
- cancer
Less common causes of unexpected weight loss
Less often, unexpected weight loss may be the result of:
- the side effects of certain medications
- alcohol misuseordrug misuse
- heart, kidney, lung or liver disease
- a problem with the glands that secrete hormones–such asAddison's diseaseor undiagnoseddiabetes
- a long-term inflammatory condition, such asrheumatoid arthritis orlupus
- dental problems–such aslosing teeth, having neworthodonticsormouth ulcers
- a condition that causesdysphagia (swallowing problems)
- a disease of the gut, such asastomach ulcer,inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)orcoeliac disease
- a bacterial, viral or parasitic infection, such as persistentgastroenteritis,tuberculosis (TB)orHIV and AIDS
- dementia– people with dementia may be unable to communicate their eating needs
More useful links
The information on this page has been adapted from original content from the NHS website.
For further information seeterms and conditions.
