Poor appetite or unexplained weight loss that occurs with gas, burping, or bloating

Many things can cause you to lose your appetite, not all of which are serious. If you are not hungry, you may naturally eat less and lose weight.

Possible causes of poor appetite include:

• The effects of stress or an emotional situation.
• The side effects of a medicine.
• A mental health problem, such as anxiety or depression.
• A problem with the digestive tract, such as an irritation, inflammation, infection, or a digestive disorder.
• Cancer.

Contact your doctor for a checkup if you have a persistently poor appetite or unexplained weight loss with gas, burping, or bloating that has not gotten better with home treatment.

Author:	Jan Nissl, RN, BS	Last Updated: October 15, 2007
Medical Review:	William M. Green, MD - Emergency Medicine H. Michael O'Connor, MD - Emergency Medicine
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