New research, conducted in the UK, shows that mid-life women are also exposed to eating disorders. The study investigated women between the ages 40 and 50, concluding that not just adolescents and young adults are subjected to eating-related diseases.
The study is the first to have analyzed eating habits and related disorders among women who reached complete maturity, and the results concern nutritionists.
Middle Aged Women Affected By Eating Disorders
The research, published in the journal BMC Medicine, investigated 5,320 women, out of whom three percent were reported to have an active eating disorder. The results are all the more surprising as the subject are not teenagers or young adults, but mid-life women.
Eating disorders are mainly associated with young adulthood among women, and three percent of the mature population in this age group represents reason for concern.
The research is the first to have investigated the prevalence of eating disorders among this age group. Approximately 15.3 percent of the women who participated in the research reported having suffered from an eating disorder at some point in their life, and 3.6 percent reported an active eating disorder in the past year. Additionally, less than 30 percent of the women questioned in the research who reported having had eating disorders said they had consulted a professional opinion on the matter or received treatment for their condition.
"Many of the women who took part in this study told us this was the first time they had ever spoken about their eating difficulties, so we need to understand why many women did not seek help. It may be that there are some barriers women perceive in healthcare access or a lack of awareness among healthcare professionals," noted Dr. Nadia Micali, lead author of the research.
The scientists also looked for the possible factors to have led to the increased rates of eating disorders, ranging from childhood happiness to whether the parents are divorced, major life events or sexual abuse.
According to Dr. Micali, unhappiness during the childhood was associated with a series of eating disorders, such as bulimia, binge eating or purging disorder, while parental separation was associated with purging disorder. Additionally, sexual abuse and fear of rejection were associated with all eating disorders.
Men also suffer from eating disorders, according to Tom Quinn from the charity Beat.
"Last year, 15 percent of calls to our helpline were about someone over the age of 40 and this research from Dr Micali only goes to further support the importance of providing an appropriate treatment pathway for individuals with eating disorders at all ages," he noted.
Binge Eating, Common Among US Adults
According to the United States' National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), binge eating is the most common eating disorder among adults.
Only 28.4 percent of the population currently suffering from binge eating is undergoing a 12-month treatment, and people aged 18-29, 30-44 and 45-59 are significantly more prone to developing the disorder compared to people over 60.
"Binge-eating disorder is characterized by recurrent binge-eating episodes during which a person feels a loss of control over his or her eating. Unlike bulimia, binge-eating episodes are not followed by purging, excessive exercise or fasting. As a result, people with binge-eating disorder often are overweight or obese. They also experience guilt, shame and/or distress about the binge-eating, which can lead to more binge-eating," notes the NIMH website.
