PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — There is no doubt that an intentional weight loss of five or 10% is a good thing for people who are significantly overweight, but when there is an unintentional weight loss, it can be a sign of a potentially serious health problem.
This is particularly true as we get older. In a study of more than 16,000 people, the risk of death from all causes was 33% higher in men with an unintentional 5 to 10% weight loss than men who did not lose weight. For women, the all-cause mortality was increased by 26%.
If you are losing weight – especially if you are not trying – you should find out why.
Get more medical reports from Dr. Brian McDonough.
KYW Newsradio’s Medical Reports are sponsored by Independence Blue Cross.