Marie Claire News

Friday 9 January

CELEBRITY STYLE SPY: See all the latest celeb photos Christamas gift guide


Glamorous mature celebrities spark over-50s anorexia

Madonna Rex features

It’s a disease generally associated with teens and young women, but glamorous mature celebrities are being blamed for a rise in anorexia in the over-50s.

Experts warn that women in their 40s and 50s are developing the disease in an attempt to emulate images of glamorous older stars, including Madonna and Sharon Stone, and giving them false expectation of how they should – or even can – look.

Chairman of the British Dietetic Association, Ursula Philpot, says 10% of patients treated for anorexia at its clinics are now over 40.

She added: ‘Ten years ago, most patients in our clinics were young women but there has been a big shift in age in recent years.

‘For many older women something has happened to them, an event such as divorce or their children leaving home, which has triggered their disorder.

‘But the quest for perfection, if they have a desire to look like unobtainable celebrities, makes them feel bad and may worsen their disorder.’

Deanne Jade, principal and founder of the National Centre for Eating Disorders, added: ‘There is a new pressure on older women to stay young.

‘Previously, no one would have expected it – people simply grew old gracefully.

'Today, people do anything they can to stave off getting old.’

Friday 29 February 2008


Have your say ...

Add your own comment

I am 47 years old and have had an eating disorder for 19 years.Pressures of society are definitely the reason for many eating disorders in both young and old women. Women feel they have to look young, be in shape and be successful in order to feel good about themselves. The problem will continue getting worse until people realize that, though cliche, it's what's inside that counts.
Comment by Denise on March 01 21:42

This is exactly the trend that I found in writing "Lying in Weight: the Hidden Epidemic of Eating Disorders in Adult Women" (Harper Collins, May 2007). Divorce, thinness ass a fountain of youth and celebrities aren't he only reasons women cite for the explosion of eating disorders cases in women older than 40. Life transitions i.e. marriage, pregnancy, parenting, mid and late life all have a huge force in pushing what might be a low grade "food issue" into an eating disorder.Because of the surge, the treatments have to also change to include an adult's women's perspective.

Trisha Gura http://trishagura.com
Comment by Trisha Gura on February 29 19:17

Rate this ...

Rate this content

Thanks, your rating has been counted!

  • Current rating:

  • 5/5



Breaking headlines ...

February subs ad