A decrease in total body mass brought on by a loss of body fat is referred to as weight loss in terms of medicine, health, or physical fitness.
- Unintentional weight loss can happen due to malnutrition or an underlying disease, or it may also result from an active effort to reduce actual or perceived overweight or obesity. Cachexia is “unexplained” weight loss not brought on by calorie restriction or exercise and may be a sign of a significant medical condition.
- A person who intentionally loses weight does so to alter their appearance by slimming down or to improve their fitness and health. The primary treatment for obesity is weight loss. There is strong evidence that this helps maintain cardiometabolic health in people with diabetes with a 5-15% weight loss and prevents progression from prediabetes to type 2 diabetes with a 7-10% weight loss.
Unexpected weight reduction or weight loss without effort can raise red flags. It can be a sign of something severe. A reasonable rule of thumb is to visit your doctor if you’ve lost a sizable amount of weight—more than 5% of your original weight—in the preceding six to twelve months.
Calorie consumption, activity level, and general health all impact weight. Weight is also influenced by how well the nutrients are absorbed. It may occur after stressful or life-altering incidents.