We Need to Talk About Perimenopause and Eating Disorders

(Amy Norton/ SELF Magazine) — There are some stereotypes about eating disorders that have been stuck in the public mind forever—namely, they only affect people who are female, white, and in their teens or 20s.

The reality, however, looks a lot different: People of all ages, racial and ethnic backgrounds, and sexes can and do develop them. And while eating disorder risk indeed spikes after puberty, there may be a second wave years later, during perimenopause, the transitional period (typically starting in your 40s) when estrogen levels decline and your reproductive system prepares for menopause.

Studies estimate that between 2% and 7.7% of women aged 40 and above meet the criteria to be diagnosed with an eating disorder, including anorexia, bulimia, and binge-eating disorder; and up to 13% of women 50 and older experience at least one eating disorder symptom.

Many others contend with poor body image and disordered eating, resorting to weight-control tactics like skipping meals, obsessively exercising, or misusing laxatives. (…)