Loss of appetite causes

Introduction to Loss of Appetite

There are many things that can lead to a loss of appetite. A person can lose their appetite do to excessive dieting or even to a very drastic weight loss, but it can also be caused by many other things.

Some may seem trivial but they should not be taken for granted either while there are other causes that are a lot more serious and can be related to a dangerous illness or medical condition.

Causes of Loss of Appetite

There are numerous things that can lead to a loss of appetite and some include fatigue and exhaustion, constipation, anorexia or the common called. Others are related to digestive problems, such as nausea, diarrhea and abdominal pain. Other very common reasons a person loses their appetite include stress, depress, fever, anxiety and emotional or hormonal instability.

Disease like hepatitis, kidney infections and pneumonia can also lead to a loss of appetite.

Emotional issues such as mood swings can also cause a person to stop eating.

Other disease and problems that can lead to a loss of appetite include ulcers, food poising, a lack of zinc intake in the body, yellow fever, lymphoma, sinus infections, migraine headaches and even pregnancy, which is when a mother-to-be should be eating the most because she has to eat for two (or more) people at this stage in her life.

A loss of appetite can also be contributed to serious health problems like HIV or cancers and it can also be caused by a number of medications.

Stress is a major reason for people losing their appetites. Stress can make a person stop wanting to eat altogether, however, in other cases, stress can also cause people to binge and overeat.

Not eating can sometimes be an early symptom of a serious type of cancer such as stomach, kidney, liver or pancreatic cancer.

Poor appetite is a common problem in older people living at home and in care homes, as well as hospital inpatients. It can contribute to weight loss and nutritional deficiencies, and associated poor healthcare outcomes, including increased mortality. Understanding the causes of reduced appetite and knowing how to measure it will enable nurses and other clinical staff working in a range of community and hospital settings to identify patients with impaired appetite.

Changes to the digestive system can contribute to declining appetite. An estimated one third of people over 65 years old have reduced saliva production, causing difficulties in eating that may impair appetite.
Older people are more likely to have poor dentition, and wearing dentures and chewing difficulties are both associated with loss of appetite
Constipation can cause reduced appetite and is commonly reported by older people, with reported rates of between 30% and 40% of community dwelling older people and over 50% of nursing home residents complaining of chronic constipation.
Changes in the levels and responsiveness to some of the hormones involved in appetite control have been found in older people. There is some evidence that fasting levels of ghrelin are lower, fasting and postprandial levels of cholecystokinin are higher, and baseline levels of leptin are higher in older people.
Any acute illness can impair appetite, especially acute infection. Many chronic diseases can also worsen appetite and these include cardiac failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, renal failure, chronic liver disease, Parkinson’s disease and cancer. All of these conditions are more prevalent in older people. The anorexia in both acute and chronic disease is mainly caused by pro-inflammatory cytokines, and also by nausea, sensory changes and medication side effects.
Taste, smell and vision are all involved with the enjoyment of food, and impairments of these senses that occur with ageing can cause reduced appetite. The smell of food stimulates appetite, and taste promotes the enjoyment of food and further stimulates appetite during eating. Many older people have impaired sense of smell and taste which will cause them to have worse appetite. Good eyesight helps to stimulate appetite and older adults with poor vision are more likely to report poor appetite. Visual impairment is increasingly common with increasing age, with one in five aged over 75 years and one in two aged over 90 years are reported as having sight loss.
Depression is known to impair appetite and is common in older people, with reported rates of 9% in community dwelling older people, 27% in those who live in care homes in the UK and 24% in older inpatients.
Patients with dementia can have reduced appetite. Delirium is associated with poor nutritional intake, but it is not clear if this mediated via reduced appetite.
Older adults are likely to be taking at least one medication. 250 commonly used drugs are known to alter sense of taste and smell or cause nausea, and may therefore reduce appetite.

✓ Fact confirmed: An overview of appetite decline in older people Anna Pilgrim, Sian Robinson, Avan Aihie Sayer, and Helen Roberts; Jun 2015

Treatment of Appetite Loss

It is important to get a lot of exercise when a person is not eating because this will improve the metabolism which will make a person want to eat more.

When a person’s loss of appetite is caused by a fever, a good thing to do is to eat raisins mixed with a little bit of salt and black pepper.

If the loss of appetite is being caused by stress or depression then it is important to talk to a therapist to sort out the problems and mental issues that are causing the person to lose their desire to eat.