Each year, pediatricians see increasing numbers of very young children, who have fallen prey to eating disorders (EDs), in their clinics and hospitals.  But the specter of anorexia, bulimia, and other eating-related disorders can manifest in people of any age.  Increasingly, women in their thirties and forties fall prey to these devastating psychological disorders.

Starving in Midlife

Psychiatrists and mental health professionals are reporting steadily increasing numbers of fully adult women presenting with these disorders, which usually develop in the preteen or teenage years. For these people, a major life change or crisis serves as the catalyst for the development of eating disorders. Divorce and loss of a loved one or job represent events that can trigger deterioration of psychological well being leading to the initial appetite and weight loss. The control these women feel, due to the weight loss, can then develop into a serious illness, such as anorexia or bulimia nervosa. These dysfunctional eating patterns can lead to death in many cases for these patients.  Some physicians theorize that hormonal imbalances occurring around the time of perimenopause may trigger behaviors that lead to full blown EDs in susceptible women.

How Prevalent Are Adult Onset Eating Disorders?

The National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) estimates that 56 percent of women in midlife had a clinical eating disorder in 1997 – a significant jump from the 25 percent of women in this age group with an ED in 1972.  Experts fear that the actual percentage of midlife women with ED is higher than 56 percent.  Mature women conceal their illnesses longer and more effectively than younger, less experienced women.  Many of these women probably struggled with an ED at some point in their younger years, but overcame them at some point.  Mental health professionals blame societal pressures and ubiquitous media promotion of unrealistic, and even fictional, body types and eating behaviors.

Not a ‘Women Only’ Disorder

Men, especially those approaching midlife and beyond, fall prey to EDs as well.  The same triggers – job loss, loss of a loved one, dissolution of a primary relationship – cause certain males to experience mood deterioration that results in obsessive and dysfunctional eating habits.  Men engage in the same self-destructive behavior as women, such as over-exercising and extremely controlled eating rituals.

Treatment Options

Many people perceive EDs as a benign psychological condition that will resolve on its own or with minimal intervention by mental health professionals.  In reality, the underlying causes are far more complex.  Studies point to a genetic link; approximately 10 percent of those with clinical eating disorders have an immediate family member with an ED as well.  The most successful courses of treatment involve the entire family as well as individual therapy sessions and pharmaceutical interventions. Eating disorders kill – slowly – tragically – painfully. If you have an eating disorder or suspect someone you know has one, get help immediately.  Contact the NEDA for free, confidential advice about professional help in your area.