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Wednesday, February 22, 2012 Chronicle-Express.com The Chronicle-Express

YOUR GOOD HEALTH

Eating disorders affect all ages
By the faculty of Harvard Medical School Question: I am a 55-year-old woman who struggled with an eating disorder (anorexia) during my teen years. As I get older, it's becoming harder and harder to keep excess weight off, and I'm afraid I may be slipping back into unhealthy old behaviors to lose weight. Are eating disorders common in older women? What can I do to avoid unhealthy habits? Answer: In a sense, it's good that you still take pride in your appearance. In fact, many baby boomers are experiencing a disconnect between how old they feel and their chronological age. In a 2009 Pew Research Center survey, half of people in their late 60s and early 70s said they felt at least 10 to 20 years younger than their actual age. Feeling youthful inside is great, but a glance in the mirror may bring you up short. No matter how young you feel, you're likely to see some wrinkles, sags, tummy fat and less rm muscles, due to the weakening elastic tissue and natural muscle loss that come with aging. At the same time, we're surrounded by many unrealistic images aimed squarely at mature women. Of course, you know that when you see a model or celebrity touted as looking "good for her age," it's the work of plastic surgeons, colorists, stylists and airbrushers -- but your unretouched body image can't help but suffer by comparison. If you feel you as celebrities your should look as good own age, even

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etc.? just as likely as Does the num- young adult women ber on the scale de- to feel fat or contermine your mood cerned about their for the day? body shape. Do you spend an This dissatisfacinordinate amount tion matters. People of time planning with eating disorwhat to eat and not ders are usually into eat and how to get tensely unhappy enough exercise? about their body Do you gravitate shape and size. A toward health regi- negative body image mens that involve can suggest or prepurging or restrict- gure a full-blown ing food -- for exam- eating disorder -- or ple, going gluten- or a "sub-clinical" probyeast-free, becoming lem in which a a vegan, fasting, or woman never bedoing colonics or comes alarmingly cleanses? thin but organizes If you answered her life around food yes to one or more of and weight control. these questions, try First, you need a to shift your conver- thorough medical sations and mental examination. Certain energy away from medical conditions food and body that cause rapid awareness. If this weight loss, interfere proves difcult, con- with appetite, or sider consulting a make eating difcult mental health pro- can be confused with fessional. an eating disorder. Eating disorders Tell your doctor though their public images may be arti- are usually regarded about any expericial, your self-esteem as a problem of ado- ences with weight can suffer. And this lescents and young loss or gain, eating can, in turn, lead to women; their preva- disorder behaviors extreme eating lence among older or use of drugs to habits aimed at women is less clear. control weight. Your weight loss, without Secrecy and shame doctor also needs to accompany know about any regard for your own often these disorders, and emotional problems well-being. Since you have a past his- women may not seek you're confronting, tory of eating disor- help -- particularly if including depression ders, you're more they fear being and anxiety. After susceptible than forced to gain un- taking a history and wanted weight or performing a physimost. Here are some stigmatized as hav- cal, she or he may questions to help ing a "teenager's dis- order certain tests, such as an electrocaryou assess whether ease." Despite the under- diogram to check for body image and food concerns are diagnosis of eating arrhythmia, laboracrowding out other disorders in older tory tests for metaimportant parts of people, health pro- bolic imbalances, or fessionals are now a bone density scan your life: illustration). Do you worry reporting an up- (see swing in requests for And if your doctor about your body and your age more than help from older feels you could benyour friends do? women. For some of et from an expert in What efforts do you these women, the eating concerns, ask make to hide the ef- problem is new, for a referral to a spewhile others have cialist. fects of aging? A balanced diet is If you had the struggled with disorchoice between liv- dered eating for important for good ing an extra ve decades. In a 2010 health. With planyears and attaining study at the Oregon ning and perhaps your perfect weight, Health & Science some help, you can would you pick at- University, women eat right and look taining your perfect ages 65 to 80 were good, too. weight? Copyright 2012 the President and Fellows of Harvard Do you and College. Developed by Harvard Health Publications your friends spend a lot of time discussing (www.health.harvard.edu). Distributed by Universal Uclick for UFS. Submit diets, weight, your questions to harvard_adviser@hms. harvard.edu. looks, gym routines,

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