In the last thirty years, the occurance of eating disorders has drastically increased, particularly amongst teenage girls.  In fact, if you read current statistics on disordered eating patterns, you will be sickened and shocked.  Girls are struggling with body image as early as 4th grade and are attempting to maintain unrealistic ideals through diet and exercise.

There is an age bracket, however, that is rapidly increasing but not often discussed and that is the women in their ’30′s who are suffering from this debilitating illness.  There are few studies on older women who suffer from eating disorders and, therefore, no hard statistics.  But it is estimated that a significant number of women are currently suffering in silence with that number potentially increasing each year.

But what triggers an older woman to slide down the slippery path of disordered eating?  While body image likely does play a role, there are many other factors that can affect a woman’s eating pattern.  Depression, and the chemical reaction that it causes in the body, is one trigger for eating disorders in older women.  While societal pressure has often taken the blame for the disordered patterns of those suffering from anorexia and bulemia, there is significant research that points to additional factors such as a chemical imbalance in the brain that quite literally skews ones image.

In addition, there is a lot of pressure to be thin, even as a mother.  With superstars popping out babies and returning to the red carpet weeks later looking as thin and perfect as ever, there is a pervasive thought that somehow we should be trying harder, working more, to look good.  We want to be the thin mom at the PTA.   And combined with the pressures of work, family and all of the responsibility that comes with adulthood, many more older women find themselves seeking control over some aspect of life.

But what is innocent dieting can quickly spin out of control, as Ann*, a St. Charles mother of two discovered.  Her quest for health became an obsession after her second child was born and she quickly found herself stuck in a pattern that was difficult to break.

“I was scared and embarrassed that I had let it come to this.  Eating disorders are for young girls that don’t know any better.  They’re not for women who are in a loving relationship with two small children.  I didn’t want anyone to know that I was so weak as an adult that I couldn’t control my eating.  So I suffered in silence for many, many years.”

It was only after her oldest daughter began exhibiting dangerous eating habits that Ann decided it was time to take control of her mind and body.

“I was so scared that I had permanently damaged my daughter.  I realized that she picked up on much more than I realized and it shook me out of my own impulses.  I decided to seek out counseling and began facing my issues head on rather than hiding from them.”

There are many stories like Ann’s, some of which go on for a long time.  Older women who suffer from eating disorders often do so in hiding out of the same shame that Ann described.  This is a disease associated primarily with adolescents so to be suffering as an adult carries much more shame and weight.

In addition to the psychological impact that an eating disorder can have on an older woman, there are also secondary ramifications such as the loss of intimacy with a spouse, a lack of productivity in work, the potential effects on children who are watching and absorbing, and so much more.  A woman in her thirties often has many more responsibilities and thus, the pressure to hide her disease is much greater.  This pressure, if left unchecked can lead to devastating results.

While there is some evidence showing that many women who suffer disordered eating patterns as adults also struggled with similar issues as teens, the fact is an eating disorder can strike anyone at anytime.  Symptoms include obsession with weight, excessive dieting, rapid weight loss, obsessive counting of calories, isolation and depression to name a few.

So how do you help a loved one who may be struggling with an eating disorder?  First and foremost, never shame an older woman who is suffering.  She will be placing enough guilt and shame upon herself.  She won’t need the judgement of a loved one.  Be patient and understanding of the aggressive nature of eating disorders.  As Ann said, “I knew it was wrong and I knew I was living an unhealthy lifestyle but I felt powerless to stop.  I felt like something else had control of my mind and my body.”

For more information on how you can help yourself or a loved one who is suffering from disordered eating patterns, whether adolescent or older, you can contact the Eating Disorder Treatment Center of Missouri.  There you will find the contact information of trained professionals who can help you take back control of your life.

*Name has been changed

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