Brief Report

Never too old for eating disorders or body dissatisfaction: A community study of elderly women

  1. Barbara Mangweth-Matzek PhD1,*,
  2. Claudia Ines Rupp PhD1,
  3. Armand Hausmann MD1,
  4. Karin Assmayr MA2,
  5. Edith Mariacher MA2,
  6. Georg Kemmler PhD1,
  7. Alexandra B. Whitworth MD3,
  8. Wilfried Biebl MD1

Article first published online: 22 AUG 2006

DOI: 10.1002/eat.20327

Issue

International Journal of Eating Disorders

International Journal of Eating Disorders

Volume 39, Issue 7, pages 583–586, November 2006

Additional Information

How to Cite

Mangweth-Matzek, B., Rupp, C. I., Hausmann, A., Assmayr, K., Mariacher, E., Kemmler, G., Whitworth, A. B. and Biebl, W. (2006), Never too old for eating disorders or body dissatisfaction: A community study of elderly women. Int. J. Eat. Disord., 39: 583–586. doi: 10.1002/eat.20327

Author Information

  1. 1

    Department of Psychiatry, Innsbruck Medical University, Innsbruck, Austria

  2. 2

    Department of Psychology, Innsbruck University, Innsbruck, Austria

  3. 3

    Department of Psychiatry, Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria

*Department of Psychiatry, Innsbruck Medical University, Anichstr. 35, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 13 OCT 2006
  2. Article first published online: 22 AUG 2006
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 26 MAY 2006

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Keywords:

  • eating disorders;
  • body dissatisfaction;
  • elderly women

Abstract

Objective:

The aim of the study is to examine eating behavior and body attitude in elderly women.

Method:

A randomly selected nonclinical sample of 1,000 women, aged 60–70 years, was contacted for our questionnaire survey covering current eating behavior, weight history, weight control, body attitude, and disordered eating (DSM-IV).

Results:

The 475 (48%) women included in our analyses had a mean BMI of 25.1 but desired a mean BMI of 23.3. More than 80% controlled their weight and over 60% stated body dissatisfaction. Eighteen women (3.8%; 95% confidence interval: 2.3–5.9%) met criteria for eating disorders (ED; N = 1 anorexia nervosa, N = 2 bulimia nervosa, and N = 15 EDNOS) and 21 (4.4%) reported single symptoms of an ED.

Conclusion:

Although EDs and body dissatisfaction are typical for young women, they do occur in female elderly and therefore should be included in the differential diagnosis of elderly presenting with weight loss, weight phobia, and/or vomiting. © 2006 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Eat Disord 2006

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