ADAM Health Encyclopedia

Appetite - increased

Definition

Increased appetite is having an excess desire for food. Hyperphagia and polyphagia refer to being focused only on eating (gluttony), or eating excessively before feeling full. These can be symptoms of different diseases.

Alternative Names

Considerations

Both mental conditions and endocrine gland disorders can cause polyphagia, which is fairly common.

Polyphagia can come and go (intermittent), or it can last for long periods of time (persistent), depending on the cause. It does not always result in weight gain.

Causes

Causes of increased appetite include:

• Anxiety
• Certain drugs (such as corticosteroids, cyproheptadine, and tricyclic antidepressants)
• Bulimia (most common in women 18 - 30 years old)
• Diabetes mellitus (including gestational diabetes)
• Graves' disease
• Hyperthyroidism
• Hypoglycemia
• Premenstrual syndrome

Home Care

Emotional support, and in some cases counseling, are recommended.

For drugs that cause increased appetite and weight gain, ask your health care provider if you can decrease the dosage or stop the medication. ASK YOUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER BEFORE CHANGING ANY MEDICATIONS.

When to Contact a Medical Professional

Contact your health care provider if:

• You have an unexplained, persistent increase in appetite.
• You have other unexplained symptoms.

Your health care provider will perform a physical exam. During the physical examination, the health care provider will probably weigh you. You also may have a psychological evaluation

The doctor will ask you questions about your medical history, with emphasis on your eating habits. Questions may include:

• Eating habits
  • Have you changed your eating habits?
  • Have you begun dieting?
  • Do you have concerns about your weight?
  • What do you eat in a typical day?
  • How much do you eat?
• Medication
  • What medications are you taking?
  • Are you taking any new medications, or have you changed the dose of your medications?
  • Do you use any illicit drugs? If so, which ones?
• Time pattern
  • Does the hunger occur during the sleep period?
  • Does the hunger seem to occur in a pattern related to your menstrual cycle?
• Other
  • What other symptoms are you having at the same time?
  • Have you noticed an increase in anxiety?
  • Do you frequently urinate?
  • Do you have an increased heart rate?
  • Do you have palpitations?
  • Do you feel more thirsty?
  • Have you had an unintentional weight gain?
  • Do you experience intentional or unintentional vomiting?

Tests that may be done includee:

• Blood tests, including a chemistry profile
• Thyroid function tests