Causes of abnormal weight loss

 There are many causes of abnormal weight loss including:

•        Loss of appetite and conditions that prevent the consumption of food, for example, dysphagia, painful mouth sores, orthodontic appliances freshly applied, or tooth loss.

•        Persistent vomiting, for example, pyloric stenosis, hiatal hernia.

•        Malabsorption such as celiac disease, chronic pancreatitis, Crohn's disease, a gastrointestinal infection, gastrointestinal fistulas, carcinoid, intestinal hypermotility, the hepatobiliary disease, food intolerances.

 

•       Drugs, especially polypharmacy in the elderly.

•        Endocrine: diabetes mellitus, hyperthyroidism, Addison's disease, tumors of intestinal hormones (eg VIPoma).

•        Malignancy: lymphoma, leukemia, cancer, sarcoma.

•        Systemic disease, such as heart failure, chronic respiratory disease, chronic renal failure, liver failure, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus.

•        The acute infection.

•        Infections and chronic infections such as tuberculosis, HIV (one in ten in one study) [2], parasitic infections.

•        Drug abuse, excessive smoking.

•        Malnutrition, social isolation.

•        Psychological: stressful life events, depression, anorexia nervosa, psychosis, manipulative behavior, food phobias.