Eating Disorders Prevalent Among Older Women

The majority of people who suffer from eating disorders such as anorexia, bulimia and binge eating disorder are women between the ages of 12 and 25. But that doesn’t mean older women don’t suffer from eating disorders as well.

One out of every 10 women who is diagnosed with an eating disorder is older than 40, according to a recent study. A 2006 study found that 60 percent of women aged 60 to 70 years old were dissatisfied with their bodies, and 4 percent met the criteria for some type of eating disorder.

For older women, an eating disorder may occur for the first time or be due to the relapse of an eating disorder they experienced when they were younger. In either case, anorexia, bulimia or binge eating disorder can have devastating effects on the women who experience them.

Eating Disorder Triggers

Eating disorders are often triggered by issues with self-esteem, the experience of a traumatic event in childhood or feeling a loss of control. For women older than 40, eating disorders may also be triggered by any of the following:

•    Death of a parent, child or spouse
•    Marital problems
•    Financial issues
•    Concerns about retirement
•    Fear of aging
•    Sedentary lifestyle
•    Menopause

Eating disorders may also be triggered in older women by society’s increasing expectation that women continue to look young and fit despite their age. This external pressure can result in women developing disordered eating behaviors, such as starving themselves, excessively exercising or participating in fad diets, in an attempt to conform to what they believe society expects. 

Treating Eating Disorders in Older Women

Eating disorders such as anorexia, bulimia and binge eating disorder can result in severe medical complications that can be even more dangerous in older women due to the body’s natural aging process. But no matter what age a woman is, an eating disorder can be successfully treated. 

Therapy is an effective way to get to the root cause of an eating disorder. A therapist can help women understand how their disordered eating began and find ways to have a healthy relationship with food. Recovering from an eating disorder can be a long process, and the length of time a woman spends in therapy can vary depending on how long she has had an eating disorder, what the underlying causes of her eating disorder are and how willing she is to work through the issues associated with her eating disorder. 

For many women, the best way to overcome an eating disorder is by spending time at a residential treatment center for eating disorders. At a residential treatment center for anorexia, bulimia or binge eating disorder, women will spend time in a supportive and nurturing environment away from their daily stressors so that they can focus on recovery. Women will participate in individual and group therapy, learn healthy eating habits and gain support from other women, both their age and younger, who are recovering from an eating disorder themselves.