Eating disorders have significant impact on women’s health, perhaps more so than any other condition. What is often regarded as affecting young women in particular is now seen slightly more often in middle-aged women between 40 and 50 years old. Now, one in thirty women in this age group report an issue with eating in some form or other.

The eating disorders which are characterised by this study include anorexia and bulimia and are usually associated with teenage girls rather than a situation confronting older women. The study also addresses the category of ‘other specified feeding and eating disorder’ which is not necessarily anorexia etc. It covers conditions where people still endure feeding stresses because of a difficult association with their diet.

A new, comprehensive and well-structured study assessed the impact of a number of physical, mental and social situations which were felt to be important or impacted on this serious condition. The study identified up to 15% of middle-aged women experienced an eating disorder at some point in their lifetime, with 3.6% having suffered one in the last year. The understanding is that stressful or harmful childhood situations lead to psychological issues, some of which manifest themselves with food and diet. What type of childhood issues are significant ? Parental divorce, sexual abuse, death of relatives, deprivation, bad life experiences etc. None however could be considered individually as risk factors in causing any one eating disorder, more a ‘group’ or cumulative effect.

The study was conducted by a number of US, Swedish and UK institutions. The University College London (UCL), Harvard Medical School and the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm were major contributors. Funding came from the National Institute of Health Research UK and WellChild, a UK children’s charity.

The Study

A cross-sectional analysis using data collated from a previous and on-going longitudinal study known as the UK Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). This study is a population-based prospective cohort study of women and their children. In this case, 14,541 pregnant women and their children who were born. It examines a range of life events ranging from childhood issues through personality and parenting, coupled to genetic and environmental factors, risk or otherwise. Various rating systems were employed in the study.

This analysis included a sample of 9,233 of the women (average age 48 years) and asked them to complete a version of the Eating Disorders Diagnostic Schedule (EDDS).

Most of the women seemed to have been suffering their eating condition in silence as less than a third of these women had discussed it with any doctor. Indeed, their interaction with the researchers appears the first time they had broached the subject with anyone. It’s not clear if immediate family might know.

The findings contrast with other statistics that roughly 1 in 100 women between the ages of 15 and 30 suffer eating disorders. What appears to stand out is how many issues influence behaviour later in life. Unhappiness in childhood appeared to have a distinctive impact. Two recognizable eating issues such as bulimia and anorexia nervosa seemed to increase within a range of 4 to 10% per unit score based on ‘unhappiness’ because of suffering when younger.

It is hoped the conclusions from the research will encourage greater awareness of the situation for women and prompt further research and discussion on the projected causes. The plea to the medical profession at large has been made, to recognise the symptoms and encourage discourse between patient and doctor.