A surprising report from the Remuda Ranch Programs for Eating and Anxiety Disorders indicates that eating disorders may be prevalent -- and on the increase -- among elderly individuals.

Anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder and other eating disorders are usually associated with teen girls and young women, but a June 2 article by Stephen Baetge of the website Spectrum Online notes that these disorders are limited neither to women nor to the young:

The new Remuda report has found that eating disorders in elderly women have increased, and the majority of deaths from anorexia nervosa occur in people over the age of 65.

"Because few health professionals think of screening for eating disorders in the elderly, many elderly eating disorder patients have frequently been missed, with tragic consequences," explained Edward Cumella, Ph.D., executive director at Remuda Ranch. "Anorexia nervosa is a very serious illness in seniors, because many already have compromised health to begin with."

Thought to be among the deadliest mental health issues, eating disorders are treatable in patients of all ages. Some people who are afflicted with an eating disorder are able to make progress via outpatient therapy, while others require the more intensive and comprehensive intervention that provided in a residential eating disorder treatment program.

Labels: eating disorders, elderly

Posted By: Aspen/CRC