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Body Dissatisfaction Can Lead to Eating Disorders at Any Age

fruityPond7887 April 26th, 2023

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Eating disorders are stereotypically associated with adolescents and young adults. Growing evidence, however, suggests that these conditions can occur at any time during a woman’s lifespan, including at midlife. A new study finds that body dissatisfaction is a primary cause of eating disorders, especially during perimenopause. Study results are published online today in Menopause, the journal of The North American Menopause Society (NAMS).

Eating disorders are serious mental health conditions characterized by disturbances in eating behavior and body image that occur in approximately 13.1% of women across the lifespan. The prevalence of any eating disorder specifically for women aged older than 40 years is roughly 3.5%, with specific symptoms such as dissatisfaction with eating patterns being documented as high as 29.3%.

Serious complications such as high mortality and morbidity are associated with eating disorders. These adverse health events are likely to be magnified when present at older ages. However, few studies on eating disorders have included participants at midlife, including premenopause, perimenopause, and postmenopause.

There is some evidence that supports the idea that perimenopausal women have the highest rates of dysregulated eating behaviors (eg, weight-control behaviors such as regular counting of calories or consumption of diet foods) of any reproductive stage at midlife and are significantly different from premenopausal women with regard to body dissatisfaction and feelings of fatness. Although findings such as these remain scant; the association between eating disorders and symptoms of perimenopause (eg, negative mood, depression, and fatigue) confirm that perimenopause may be a particularly risky time for eating pathology.

In this new small study, which sought to investigate the structure of eating disorder symptoms specifically during perimenopause and early postmenopause, the researchers used network analysis statistical models to compare the structure and importance of specific eating disorder symptoms across reproductive stages. Although they admit that larger studies are necessary with this underrepresented female population, the researchers believe that the study confirms that dissatisfaction with body image is a key risk factor for eating disorders across the lifespan, especially at midlife.

Study results are published in the article “Network analysis of eating disorder symptoms in women in perimenopause and early postmenopause.”

“This study shows that, similar to studies in young adults, dissatisfaction with body image remains a core feature of eating disorder pathology in midlife women. Specifically, fear of gaining weight and fear of losing control over eating habits are central symptoms of eating disorders in perimenopause and early postmenopause. These findings may help direct more targeted treatment strategies in women during midlife,” says Dr. Stephanie Faubion, NAMS medical director."

*I wanted to share this article because this is pretty new research and there haven't been many studies done yet on it. When we think of eating disorders, we usually think of teenage girls and adolescents. It should be pretty obvious that this population isn't the only one that would struggle with an eating disorder. It makes sense that those who are in the middle of menopause would have the highest rates of disordered eating behaviors, most likely due to hormone changes and how they view themselves. This evidence just goes to show that we should be more open-minded about eating disorders and that many people may struggle with them more than we realize. What other conclusions do you think future research could reveal in terms of eating disorders?*

#EatingDisorders #Perimenopause #BodyImage

Please find the full article at Science Daily.

If you liked this article, you may like this one about why we should get comfortable talking about menopause publicly.


3
May 9th, 2023

@fruityPond7887

Lovely set out and written post! I agree body dissatisfaction can lead to eating disorders at any age.

trueconfidant123 June 27th, 2023

@fruityPond7887

Informative and much needed.

cyanPlatypus6370 January 18th

@fruityPond7887 to the title of your post: yes! 

I am glad to see/know that someone somewhere is thinking and researching about this. 

Eating disorders do exist in older persons too!  Not only pre-adolescent and adolescent girls.  Also boys and young men.  Also young people at college-age whether attending university or not, whether living at home (with Mom and Dad) or living in dorms, or elsewhere.  And as mentioned in this study, females working through menopause (pre- peri- and post), as well as men perhaps in a 'mid-life crisis' type mode.  Men go through dramatic hormonal changes too (even less talked about !).

I wonder if Eating Disorders in general are more prevalent than we as a society would like to admit.  I know I, for one, do NOT have it altogether when it comes to food, eating, hunger, (yes and probably body image too).  Also, eating disorders can be more prevalent within certain professions.  I imagine people who are dancers - ballet or other - may have a higher % of their community that is dealing with some type of ED (eating disorder).  Other professions with a higher % could be any type of professional (and semi-professional) athletes - women's and men's gymnastics, wrestling, weight lifters, swimmers, etc.  True, I would hope their teammates and coaches etc would be noticing and trying to help.  But as one who does struggle with an ED, I know people with an ED may try to hide their behaviors (or non behavior) or keep things secret. 

But, (also from personal knowledge) those secret behaviors, and private thoughts, can lead to very serious issues.  That is when the ED will somehow show up in your work, your relationships, your marriage/family, and can basically just create havoc and chaos in your life - no matter your age!  Which can lead to all sorts of other issues, mental health and physical health.  Social and even spiritual health. 

However the ED started for you, most - I'd venture to say all - EDs are not satisfied with taking over just that one area or section of your life.  The lies the ED tells you are small at first, but they grow when you start believing them.  EDs are a big deal - one's age at the start of the disorder makes no difference.  EDs are serious and not to be messed around with or joked about.  Dear friend who is reading this, take care of you!  If you need help, please reach out.  I know it can be scary, very.  I'd encourage you, just take one step.  One step closer to health, to getting better. 

@fruityPond7887 I just found this thread yesterday, but I'm glad it is here.  Can we shake off the cobwebs and maybe repost it over like... ED community or 35+ or 50+ communities?  What do you think?  @ASilentObserver do you know where it could also be posted?  <3  Platy