Dr. Okezie Emenike, an Abuja based medical doctor, has advised patients who lost significant and persistent weight within a period without being on diet to seek urgent medical help.
Emenike gave the advice in an interview with newsmen on Thursday in Abuja, saying that such weight loss could be due to underlying chronic disease.
He described unexplained weight loss as when an individual decreased in body weight without any form of diet or exercise.
According to him, medical evaluation is necessary if a patient loses more than five per cent of body weight within six months or one year.
He added that unexplained weight loss had many causes which include medical and non medical reasons, stressing that a combination of things could result in general decline in wellness, thereby causing weights loss.
Emenike, however, attributed changes in diet or appetite, cancer, dementia, dental problems, diabetes, heart failure, hyperglycemia, hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism as causative factors to unexplained weight loss.
He also mentioned peptic ulcer, tuberculosis, alcohol and cocaine abuse, HIV/AIDS, depression, celiac disease,
changes in smell and taste and certain medications as other factors that could predispose an individual to weight loss.
He said that addressing issues of weight loss should start from identifying the underlying cause.
He suggested change of diet if the cause of the condition was due to consumption of the same amount of calories and food in order to treat the condition.
Emenike, however, urged those with health problems such as diabetes, peptic ulcer, among others, to consume foods that would improve their health as recommended by nutritionist.
He also advised older adults who lost quality amount of weight and was frail to seek urgent medical help.
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