1 of 12Unexplained weight loss, especially consequential or persistent, can indicate an underlying medical condition. If you lose more than 5 percent of your body weight over six months to a year—especially if you are older—a medical evaluation is necessary.
Unexplained weight loss refers to a detectable reduction in body weight without modifications to diet, exercise, or lifestyle. This unintentional weight loss can be very distressing, especially when a considerable amount is lost and the cause is unknown.
If you’ve lost weight unintentionally, your doctor will first take a careful history, look for risk factors for a number of medical conditions, e.g., lymphoma, and perform a physical examination.
