Son, everybody's trimmin' fat....

Large numbers of people with parkinson's lose weight, as much as 40 pounds, or more, following diagnosis. Women with PD are more affected by weight loss than men with PD. In fact, PWP are 4 times more likely to lose weight than those without the condition.

Why is that? You might ask. Well here are some possible reasons:

1. maybe we eat less.
2. maybe if we suffer from depression, we lose the joy of eating.
3. maybe, if like me, we lose our sense of smell, then we have lost a large part of what makes eating enjoyable.
4. finally, maybe all the unwanted PD movement is enough to cause weight loss

But all of these theories have been found wanting

Persons with PD eat just as much as their peers whether or not they are depressed, lack a normal sense of smell or experience severe dyskinesias. Others have hypothesized a role for autonomic dysfunction or altered metabolism. So the mystery of weight loss in PD remains just that, a mystery. read article

Not every PWP will lose weight and I don't recommend the method for weight control. In fact, I have gained about 6 pounds since my return from Florida, having developed a need for all things sweet. At the moment, I am far from obese, but I am certainly not thin. I enjoy eating. What's a few extra pounds at my age? If you feel the need to look thin, just hang out with fat people.