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Definition

• Ongoing and/or recent changes in weight
• The amount of weight gain or loss
• Changes in clothing size
• If this is weight loss: was it intentional or unintentional

<aside>

Clinical Definition: clinically significant weight loss:

• 10% over any period of time
• Loss of 4-5% or more within 1 year </aside>

Remember:

• Cachexia =/= Mal-nutrition

Special Population

• Weight loss in Older Adult → multi-factorial
• Younger Adult (esp. Adolescents (Puberty)) → often 1 cause

Associated symptoms

• Anorexia (loss of appetite)
• CP - Chest Pain
• Abdominal Pain
  • Is there pain with eating? (sitophobia = fear of eating, which may occur where pain is commonly associated with eating, such as Chronic Pancreatitis , mesenteric ischemia or Crohn’s Disease )
• Headache
• Jaundice
• Dysphagia