Midlife Eating Disorders On The Rise?

Eating disorders are no longer the sole providence of Milan models or teen starlets. More and more middle aged women suffer from them.

According to a story by Dennis Thompson of HealthDay, "doctors are finding that a growing number of older women are now being diagnosed with some sort of eating disorder."

Dr. Katherine Halmi, director of the eating disorder program at New York Presbyterian Hospital (White Plains, NY) told CNN in late 2006 that "... we are definitely seeing an increase in women over the age of 30 and 35 seeking treatment."

CNN's report also cited a 70% increase in admittance rates between 2001 and 2003 for women over the age of 35 at The Renfrew Center, an eating disorder treatment center with offices in Florida and Philadelphia, PA. By 2003 about 25% of their patients were older than 35.

The issue is whether the number of middle aged women with anorexia or bulimia is growing -- or whether doctors and mental health professionals are just better at detecting it.

Dr. Alexander Sackeyfio, an eating-disorder specialist at Beaumont Hospital (Royal Oak, MI) told Thompson that "It can happen to anybody at any stage of their life ... I think we're becoming more aware of it and are better at diagnosing it."

Another possible explanation for the increase is that it's now more acceptable for women to seek treatment.

ABC News reported in 2005 that one to three million middle-aged women in the United States have anorexia or bulimia. One doctor told ABC that it often afflicts women with low self esteem who suffer a stressor such as a serious illness, divorce, or death in the family.

There may also be a genetic contribution.

Middle age brings complications and different forms of treatment. Older sufferers have had longer to establish the binge-purge cycle, so it may be harder to break. The impact on their bodies and long term health can be greater than for teens or twenty-somethings. And the events that can trigger the disorders include midlife issues such as divorce or aging.

ABC News Medical Contributor Dr. David Katz noted that the distinction between dieting and an eating disorder is that the latter is obsessive. "The underlying issues are about mental health," he said.

The problem should not be taken lightly. According to the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders, "anorexia has the highest mortality rate of all mental disorders."