Unexplained weight loss, or losing weight without trying — particularly if it's significant or ongoing — may be a sign of a medical disorder.

The point at which unexplained weight loss becomes a medical concern is not exact. But many health care providers agree that a medical evaluation is called for if you lose more than 5% of your weight in 6 to 12 months, especially if you're an older adult. For example, a 5% weight loss in someone who is 160 pounds (72 kilograms) is 8 pounds (3.6 kilograms). In someone who is 200 pounds (90 kilograms), it's 10 pounds (4.5 kilograms).

Your weight is affected by your calorie intake, activity level and overall health. Your ability to absorb nutrients from the food you eat also affects your weight. Economic and social factors also may play a role.

From Mayo Clinic to your inbox

Sign up for free and stay up to date on research advancements, health tips, current health topics, and expertise on managing health. Click here for an email preview.

To provide you with the most relevant and helpful information, and understand which information is beneficial, we may combine your email and website usage information with other information we have about you. If you are a Mayo Clinic patient, this could include protected health information. If we combine this information with your protected health information, we will treat all of that information as protected health information and will only use or disclose that information as set forth in our notice of privacy practices. You may opt-out of email communications at any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link in the e-mail.

Aug. 17, 2022

See also

  1. 6 tips to manage rheumatoid arthritis symptoms
  2. Acanthosis nigricans
  3. Addison's disease
  4. Adjuvant therapy for cancer
  5. Adrenal fatigue: What causes it?
  6. Alcoholic hepatitis
  7. Amputation and diabetes
  8. Amyloidosis
  9. Angina
  10. Anorexia nervosa
  11. Antidepressant withdrawal: Is there such a thing?
  12. Antidepressants and alcohol: What's the concern?
  13. Antidepressants and weight gain: What causes it?
  14. Antidepressants: Can they stop working?
  15. Antidepressants for children and teens
  16. Antidepressants: Side effects
  17. Antidepressants: Selecting one that's right for you
  18. Antidepressants: Which cause the fewest sexual side effects?
  19. Artificial sweeteners: Any effect on blood sugar?
  20. Ascariasis
  21. Aspergillosis
  22. Atypical antidepressants
  23. Atypical cells: Are they cancer?
  24. Bile reflux
  25. Binge-eating disorder
  26. Biopsy procedures
  27. Blood glucose meters
  28. Blood glucose monitors
  29. Blood sugar levels can fluctuate for many reasons
  30. Blood sugar testing: Why, when and how
  31. Bone and joint problems associated with diabetes
  32. Bone cancer
  33. Dr. Wallace Video
  34. Dr. Mark Truty (surgery, MN) better outcomes with chemo
  35. C. difficile infection
  36. Caffeine: Does it affect blood sugar?
  37. Cancer
  38. Cancer
  39. Cancer blood tests
  40. Myths about cancer causes
  41. Infographic: Cancer Clinical Trials Offer Many Benefits
  42. Cancer diagnosis: 11 tips for coping
  43. Cancer-related fatigue
  44. Cancer pain: Relief is possible
  45. Cancer risk: What the numbers mean
  46. Cancer surgery
  47. Cancer survival rate
  48. Cancer survivors: Care for your body after treatment
  49. Cancer survivors: Late effects of cancer treatment
  50. Cancer survivors: Managing your emotions after cancer treatment
  51. Cancer treatment myths
  52. Carcinoid tumors
  53. Castleman disease
  54. Celiac disease
  55. Chemotherapy side effects: A cause of heart disease?
  56. Chronic lymphocytic leukemia
  57. Chronic myelogenous leukemia
  58. Churg-Strauss syndrome
  59. Cirrhosis
  60. What is cirrhosis? A Mayo Clinic expert explains
  61. Cirrhosis FAQs
  62. Clinical depression: What does that mean?
  63. Colon cancer
  64. Colon Cancer Family Registry
  65. Colon cancer screening: At what age can you stop?
  66. Colon cancer screening
  67. Colorectal Cancer
  68. Congenital adrenal hyperplasia
  69. Coronary artery spasm: Cause for concern?
  70. Crohn's Crisis
  71. Crohn's disease
  72. Crohn's disease and the gut microbiome
  73. What is Crohn's disease? A Mayo Clinic expert explains
  74. Crohn's or Colitis
  75. Curcumin: Can it slow cancer growth?
  76. Depression and anxiety: Can I have both?
  77. Depression, anxiety and exercise
  78. What is depression? A Mayo Clinic expert explains.
  79. Depression in women: Understanding the gender gap
  80. Depression (major depressive disorder)
  81. Depression: Supporting a family member or friend
  82. Dermatomyositis
  83. Diabetes
  84. Diabetes and depression: Coping with the two conditions
  85. Diabetes and exercise: When to monitor your blood sugar
  86. Diabetes and heat
  87. What is type 1 diabetes? A Mayo Clinic expert explains
  88. 10 ways to avoid diabetes complications
  89. Diabetes diet: Should I avoid sweet fruits?
  90. Diabetes diet: Create your healthy-eating plan
  91. Diabetes drugs and weight loss
  92. Diabetes foods: Can I substitute honey for sugar?
  93. Diabetes and liver
  94. Diabetes insipidus
  95. Diabetes management: How lifestyle, daily routine affect blood sugar
  96. Diabetes prevention: 5 tips for taking control
  97. Type 1 diabetes FAQs
  98. Diabetes symptoms
  99. Diabetes treatment: Can cinnamon lower blood sugar?
  100. Medications for type 2 diabetes
  101. Using insulin
  102. Diabetic Gastroparesis
  103. Diabetic neuropathy
  104. Diabetic neuropathy and dietary supplements
  105. Types of diabetic neuropathy
  106. Cancer-related diarrhea
  107. Does stress make rheumatoid arthritis worse?
  108. Drug addiction (substance use disorder)
  109. Dysphagia
  110. Early HIV symptoms: What are they?
  111. Ease rheumatoid arthritis pain when grocery shopping
  112. Eating during cancer treatment: Tips to make food tastier
  113. Esophageal Cancer
  114. Esophageal cancer
  115. Ewing sarcoma
  116. Fibromuscular dysplasia
  117. Floor of the mouth cancer
  118. Gallbladder cancer
  119. Gallbladder polyps: Can they be cancerous?
  120. Gastroparesis
  121. GI Stents
  122. Giant cell arteritis
  123. Giardia infection (giardiasis)
  124. Glycemic index: A helpful tool for diabetes?
  125. Granulomatosis with polyangiitis
  126. Graves' disease
  127. Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection
  128. Hairy cell leukemia
  129. Heart cancer: Is there such a thing?
  130. High-dose vitamin C: Can it kill cancer cells?
  131. Histoplasmosis
  132. HIV/AIDS
  133. Hodgkin lymphoma (Hodgkin disease)
  134. Hodgkin's vs. non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: What's the difference?
  135. How do I reduce fatigue from rheumatoid arthritis?
  136. How opioid use disorder occurs
  137. How to tell if a loved one is abusing opioids
  138. Hyperinsulinemia: Is it diabetes?
  139. Hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid)
  140. Hypopituitarism
  141. Insulin and weight gain
  142. Intestinal ischemia
  143. Is depression a factor in rheumatoid arthritis?
  144. Is there a special diet for Crohn's disease?
  145. Kidney cancer
  146. Kidney Cancer
  147. Kidney Cancer
  148. What is kidney cancer? An expert explains
  149. Kidney cancer FAQs
  150. Kratom: Unsafe and ineffective
  151. Kratom for opioid withdrawal
  152. Late-night eating: OK if you have diabetes?
  153. LADA
  154. Lead poisoning
  155. Leukemia
  156. Liver cancer
  157. Liver Cancer
  158. What is liver cancer? An expert explains
  159. Liver cancer FAQs
  160. Living better with Crohn's disease
  161. Living better with rheumatoid arthritis
  162. Low blood counts
  163. Lung cancer
  164. Lung Cancer
  165. Infographic: Lung Cancer
  166. Lung nodules: Can they be cancerous?
  167. Maintain your social life with Crohn's disease
  168. Male depression: Understanding the issues
  169. MAOIs and diet: Is it necessary to restrict tyramine?
  170. Marijuana and depression
  171. Measles Virus as a Cancer Fighter
  172. Mesothelioma
  173. Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs)
  174. Monoclonal antibody drugs
  175. Mort Crim and Cancer
  176. Mouth sores caused by cancer treatment: How to cope
  177. Multiple myeloma
  178. Infographic: Multiple Myeloma
  179. Natural remedies for depression: Are they effective?
  180. Nervous breakdown: What does it mean?
  181. Neuroblastoma
  182. What is ulcerative colitis? A Mayo Clinic expert explains
  183. No appetite? How to get nutrition during cancer treatment
  184. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease
  185. Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma
  186. Norovirus infection
  187. Opioid stewardship: What is it?
  188. Living with an ostomy
  189. Pain and depression: Is there a link?
  190. Pancreatic cancer
  191. Pancreatic Cancer
  192. What is pancreatic cancer? A Mayo Clinic expert explains
  193. Infographic: Pancreatic Cancer: Minimally Invasive Surgery
  194. Pancreatic Cancer Survivor
  195. Infographic: Pancreatic Cancers-Whipple
  196. Pancreatitis
  197. Peptic ulcer
  198. Pheochromocytoma
  199. Pituitary tumors
  200. Polymyalgia rheumatica
  201. Poppy seed tea: Beneficial or dangerous?
  202. Prescription drug abuse
  203. Primary sclerosing cholangitis
  204. Protect your joints while housecleaning
  205. Pulmonary fibrosis
  206. Pyloric stenosis
  207. Reactive hypoglycemia: What can I do?
  208. Rectal cancer
  209. Recurrent breast cancer
  210. Rethinking Rheumatoid Arthritis
  211. Rheumatoid arthritis
  212. Rheumatoid arthritis
  213. Rheumatoid arthritis: Does pregnancy affect symptoms?
  214. Rheumatoid arthritis and exercise
  215. Rheumatoid arthritis: Can it affect the eyes?
  216. Rheumatoid arthritis: Can it affect the lungs?
  217. Salt craving: A symptom of Addison's disease?
  218. Seasonal affective disorder (SAD)
  219. Seasonal affective disorder treatment: Choosing a light box
  220. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)
  221. Self-Image During Cancer
  222. Serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs)
  223. Sheehan's syndrome
  224. Small cell, large cell cancer: What this means
  225. Staying active with Crohn's disease
  226. Stomach cancer
  227. What is stomach cancer? A Mayo Clinic expert explains
  228. Stomach cancer FAQs
  229. Super Survivor Conquers Cancer
  230. Takayasu's arteritis
  231. Tapering off opioids: When and how
  232. Tapeworm infection
  233. Teen depression
  234. The dawn phenomenon: What can you do?
  235. Throat cancer
  236. Thyroid disease: Can it affect a person's mood?
  237. Thyroid nodules
  238. Tips for easing stress when you have Crohn's disease
  239. Tips to make your mornings easier
  240. Toxic hepatitis
  241. Treatment-resistant depression
  242. Tricyclic antidepressants
  243. Tuberculosis
  244. Tumor vs. cyst: What's the difference?
  245. Type 1 diabetes
  246. Type 1 diabetes in children
  247. Type 2 diabetes
  248. Type 2 diabetes in children
  249. Typhoid fever
  250. Ulcerative colitis
  251. Ulcerative colitis flare-ups: 5 tips to manage them
  252. Valley fever
  253. Vasculitis
  254. Vegetarian diet: Can it help me control my diabetes?
  255. How cancer spreads
  256. PICC line placement
  257. Grateful patient talks about his Mayo Clinic experience
  258. Vitamin B-12 and depression
  259. Vitamin deficiency anemia
  260. What are opioids and why are they dangerous?
  261. When cancer returns: How to cope with cancer recurrence
  262. Where can I learn more about living with Crohn's disease?
  263. Whipple's disease
  264. Xylazine
  265. Fecal transplant treatment of C. difficile at Mayo Clinic
  266. Mayo Clinic study reporting increased incidence of C. difficile infection
  267. Mayo Clinic Minute: Do not share pain medication
  268. Mayo Clinic Minute: Avoid opioids for chronic pain
  269. Mayo Clinic Minute: Be careful not to pop pain pills
  270. Zollinger-Ellison syndrome