Reviewed By:
Unnati Patel, MD, MSc (Family Medicine)
Dr.Patel serves as Center Medical Director and a Primary Care Physician at Oak Street Health in Arizona. She graduated from the Zhejiang University School of Medicine prior to working in clinical research focused on preventive medicine at the University of Illinois and the University of Nevada. Dr. Patel earned her MSc in Global Health from Georgetown University, during which she worked with the WHO in Sierra Leone and Save the Children in Washington, D.C. She went on to complete her Family Medicine residency in Chicago at Norwegian American Hospital before completing a fellowship in Leadership in Value-based Care in conjunction with the Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management, where she earned her MBA. Dr. Patel’s interests include health tech and teaching medical students and she currently serves as Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Arizona School of Medicine.
Hidetaka Hamasaki, MD (Endocrinology)
Dr. Hamasaki graduated from the Hiroshima University School of Medicine and the Graduate School of Medicine, Jichi Medical University. He completed his residency at the Department of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, National Center for Global Health and Medicine Hospital and the Department of Internal Medicine, Kohnodai Hospital, National Center for Global Health and Medicine. He has served in the National Center for Global Health and Medicine Hospital and Kohnodai Hospital and joined Hamasaki Clinic in April 2017. Dr. Hamasaki specializes in diabetes and treats a wide range of internal medicine and endocrine disorders.
Content updated on Apr 4, 2024
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Unintentional weight gain
Just 3 minutes.
Developed by doctors.
About the Symptom
Weight gain of 5% or more in 1 month with no obvious intentional cause such as eating more or exercising less. It can be caused by medication side effects, hormonal changes or chronic or new illnesses.
When to see a doctor
Seek professional care if you experience any of the following symptoms
Unintentional weight gain
Possible Causes
Generally, Unintentional weight gain can be related to:
Drug-induced weight gain is a side effect of many commonly used drugs, such as long-term steroid medication. This often leads to obesity-related health problems. Due to the weight gain, some patients discontinue the medication.
A condition where the blood vessels in your kidneys get damaged and leak protein. Common causes include autoimmune (the body's immune system attacking itself) and diabetic kidney disease. It causes swelling in your body, usually in the feet and ankles.
A condition observed in advanced liver disease. Liver scarring compresses the blood vessels running through it and reduces their blood flood.
Depression
Related serious diseases
Sometimes, Unintentional weight gain may be related to these serious diseases:
Chronic heart failure occurs when the heart doesn't pump blood as well as it should. It's caused by conditions that overwork the heart, such as high blood pressure, heart valve disease, thyroid disease, kidney disease, diabetes, and heart defects from birth.
Doctor's Diagnostic Questions
Your doctor may ask these questions to check for this symptom:
Have you gained more than 4.4 lbs / 2 kg in one month without trying?
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Developed by doctors.
Find Similar Symptoms
References
Unintentional Weight Gain - Mount Sinai
https://www.mountsinai.org/health-library/symptoms/weight-gain-unintentional
Reviewed By:
Unnati Patel, MD, MSc (Family Medicine)
Dr.Patel serves as Center Medical Director and a Primary Care Physician at Oak Street Health in Arizona. She graduated from the Zhejiang University School of Medicine prior to working in clinical research focused on preventive medicine at the University of Illinois and the University of Nevada. Dr. Patel earned her MSc in Global Health from Georgetown University, during which she worked with the WHO in Sierra Leone and Save the Children in Washington, D.C. She went on to complete her Family Medicine residency in Chicago at Norwegian American Hospital before completing a fellowship in Leadership in Value-based Care in conjunction with the Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management, where she earned her MBA. Dr. Patel’s interests include health tech and teaching medical students and she currently serves as Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Arizona School of Medicine.
Hidetaka Hamasaki, MD (Endocrinology)
Dr. Hamasaki graduated from the Hiroshima University School of Medicine and the Graduate School of Medicine, Jichi Medical University. He completed his residency at the Department of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, National Center for Global Health and Medicine Hospital and the Department of Internal Medicine, Kohnodai Hospital, National Center for Global Health and Medicine. He has served in the National Center for Global Health and Medicine Hospital and Kohnodai Hospital and joined Hamasaki Clinic in April 2017. Dr. Hamasaki specializes in diabetes and treats a wide range of internal medicine and endocrine disorders.
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