Eating Disorders in Older Women
Eating disorders in older women are very prevalent and can easily go unnoticed. Unlike adolescents, who often have parents, teachers, or friends “looking over their shoulder,” adults often do not have people observing their behaviors. Because of this and the misunderstanding that eating disorders only affect young people, it may be easier for eating disorder symptoms to go unnoticed in older people and prevent them from receiving treatment.
by: Imogen Bylinsky
In the media, eating disorders have been portrayed as being limited to adolescents, specifically teenage girls. However, this myth has been disputed as more research and data are released, along with personal stories and accounts. Eating disorders in women and girls affect ranges of ages. Eating disorders do not have an age limit and can be prevalent throughout the old and the young. Recovery is possible and worth it for all people, regardless of age.
Many eating disorder professionals have noted that women who struggled with eating-related issues during adolescence are more predisposed to have these same issues resurface during their middle ages. It is also more likely for a relapse to occur later in life, notably if, during their adolescent ages, they received no professional treatment to cope with eating-related issues. Although rare, it is possible for women who have had a healthy relationship with food their whole life to develop eating-related issues during their middle ages.
Treatment for eating disorders in older women may appear different from treatment for eating disorders in adolescence. This may be due to external life factors that older women may have to deal with and consequently prioritize jobs, child care, family situations, or finances. As a result, women may feel it is challenging to make eating disorder treatment a priority later in life.
The physical strain of eating disorders can be extremely dangerous regardless of someone’s age, but particularly for older women. It becomes harder for older people to recover when they undergo eating-related issues. Therefore, it is crucial to recognize the signs if you suspect an older woman may have an eating disorder or eating-related issue. Potential signs and symptoms include changes in eating patterns, weight changes, frequent dieting, obsessive exercising, anxiety, and self-imposed isolation. Everyone is different and may have a different reaction if asked about specific symptoms being experienced. It is important to discuss symptoms with a loved one who may be struggling and to do it in an empathic rather than confrontational manner.
At BALANCE eating disorder treatment center™, our compassionate, highly skilled team of clinicians is trained in diagnosing and treating the spectrum of eating disorders, including anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, compulsive overeating, and other disordered eating and body image issues. We offer a variety of programs and services targeted at helping clients overcome fear foods and develop a healthy relationship with food. In addition to our full-time Day Treatment Program and Weeknight Intensive Outpatient Program, we provide nutrition counseling with a licensed dietitian, meal support, and various other groups and resources to help those seeking help for food concerns.
Our admissions team would be happy to answer any questions you may have about our programs and services. Book a free consultation call with our admissions team below, or read more about our philosophy here.
This post was written by BALANCE Blog Contributor, Imogen Bylinsky (she/her).
Imogen is a high school student from New York City with a passion for writing and speaking about mental health issues, specifically eating disorders. Growing up, she became increasingly aware of the stigma and hurtful stereotypes associated with eating disorders. She is interested in majoring in Psychology after taking an “abnormal child psychology” course at Brown University. Along with BALANCE, she volunteers with NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) and Project HEAL, an eating disorder organization. She specifically wants to address how eating disorders are portrayed in the media, pop culture, various races/ethnic groups, and gender. She is excited to be writing for the BALANCE blog!