NEVER Ignore This Weight Loss Warning Sign
People focus on weight loss a LOT…
The fact that they need to lose a few pounds, how hard it is to lose weight, how easy it is to gain it back, what diet they’re on… there’s no shortage of talking points on the topic.
And it’s true. Losing weight and keeping it off is often DIFFICULT.
So, if you find the weight dropping when you’re not even trying… it’s time to make an appointment with your doctor. Because scientists warn, it could be a sign of something sinister…
Unintended weight loss may seem welcome at first.
But new research reveals this is a gift horse we SHOULD peer into the mouth of. Because unexpected weight loss could be a sign of cancer.
Researchers analyzed data on more than 150,000 people from two longitudinal studies that tracked people for 30 years.
Study participants answered questionnaires about various subjects every few years, including overall health, physical activity, and weight.
The researchers found that when they compared folks who had unexpectedly lost weight (had not attempted to lose it) to those who didn’t, it was associated with an increased risk of certain types of cancer:
- upper gastrointestinal tract (esophageal, stomach, liver, biliary tract, and pancreatic)
- hematological (non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, multiple myeloma, and leukemia)
- colorectal
- lung
However, the unexpected weight loss was NOT associated with breast, brain, genitourinary, or melanoma cancers.
Interestingly, people lost a similar amount of weight whether they were diagnosed with early OR late-stage disease.
Of course, cancer isn’t the only condition that can contribute to unintended weight loss. But if you notice the pounds dropping without even trying, you should make an appointment with your doctor to rule out cancer.
P.S. SLASH cancer risk with 3 key nutrients.
SOURCE:
Wang Q, Babic A, Rosenthal MH, et al. “Cancer Diagnoses After Recent Weight Loss.” JAMA. 2024;331(4):318–328. doi:10.1001/jama.2023.25869
