Weak appetite can have various causes, ranging in severity from 'troubling' to 'generally fatal'. Finding the true cause means ruling out or confirming each possibility – in other words, diagnosis.
Diagnosis is usually a complex process due to the sheer number of possible causes and related symptoms. In order to diagnose weak appetite, we could:
Cause | Probability | Status |
---|---|---|
Zinc Need | 90% | Confirm |
HIV/AIDS | 29% | Unlikely |
Stress | 14% | Unlikely |
Cirrhosis Of The Liver | 3% | Ruled out |
Ulcerative Colitis | 0% | Ruled out |
Anorexia/Starvation Tendency | 0% | Ruled out |
Gluten Sensitivity | 0% | Ruled out |
Hyperthyroidism | 0% | Ruled out |
How strong is your appetite (desire to eat) generally?
Possible responses:
→ Very weak - I eat infrequently and small amounts→ Weak → Average / don't know → Strong → Very strong - I rarely miss an opportunity to eat |
Accumulation of fluid (due to congestive heart failure) in the liver and intestines may cause nausea, abdominal pain, and decreased appetite.
While there is no direct link from dehydration to reduced appetite, water is vital for proper digestion. Dehydration impairs the digestive process, food remains in the stomach longer, so we feel full longer and don't feel like eating again so soon.
Intense hunger is a sign of Diabetes I.
Loss of appetite is an early sign of fluorosis.
In more severe cases there may be loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, constipation, confusion or impaired thinking and memory, and increased thirst and urination.
There are several mechanisms through which IBS can cause weak appetite:
Loss of appetite is a possible symptom of kidney disease.
Loss of appetite and weight loss can occur with AML, CLL or CML.
As nephrotic syndrome progresses, appetite is greatly decreased.
A heavy pinworm infection can cause loss of appetite.