Journal of internal medicine
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To establish the incidence and causes of unintentional weight loss and to compare prognoses. ⋯ Contrary to common belief, weight loss is not usually due to a malignant disease. A gastrointestinal tract disorder accounts for weight loss in every third patient. If minimal diagnostic procedures cannot establish a diagnosis, then endoscopic investigation of the upper and lower gastrointestinal tract and function tests should be performed to exclude malabsorption.