Question

My husband has recently begun losing weight for no reason that we know of. He says food just doesn't taste the same and sometimes just the thought of some foods makes him nauseated. He is 70 years old but has been obese and always enjoyed food till now. Do you have any explanations?

Answer

The first thing that came to my mind when you said that your husband has loss of appetite, is aged 70, is overweight, and has had recent weight loss, was adult-onset diabetes mellitus, or type 2 diabetes.

This is a very common problem in men who have been heavy all of their lives. Gradually the pancreas slows down the production of insulin and the tissues fail to respond to the action of insulin. A blood sugar test will give the answer. Usually the blood sugar is slightly or moderately high, depending on when the blood sample us obtained. If his blood sugar is normal at this time make sure that his physician knows the symptoms that you describe.

This type of diabetes is treated first with a pill, and many patients get a good response from one pill a day and a proper diet.

There are other more serious things that this could be as well, not excluding a cancer. Your family doctor can make this determination upon a thorough exam.