Middle Aged Women Hate Their Bodies And Are Developing Eating Disorders

Featured Article
Main Category: Eating Disorders
Also Included In: Women's Health / Gynecology;  Nutrition / Diet;  Psychology / Psychiatry
Article Date: 02 Aug 2006 - 13:00 PDT

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Women who are in their forties hate their bodies, many are developing eating disorders because of this and a significant number have had cosmetic surgery, according to a survey of 2,000 women carried out in the UK by Top Sante.

Here are some facts revealed by the survey about women in their forties:

-- 58% have disordered eating patterns

-- 70% have made serious attempts to diet during the last 12 months

-- Almost all of them envy women of their age who have nice bodies

-- Most find losing weight much harder after 40

-- Most hate their middle, hips, thighs and upper arms

-- Most rate their bodies at 3.5 out of 10. When they were young they rated their bodies at 7 out of 10.

-- Most want to weigh less than they did when they were 20

-- Most would like to weigh 20% less than they currently weigh

-- Over 30% are regularly on one diet or another

-- Over 30% take slimming pills or laxatives

-- Over 50% have a disordered way of eating, such as missing breakfast, snacking instead of eating lunch, eating chocolates and drinking wine instead of having their evening meal

-- Over half have had cosmetic surgery or would consider it

-- The vast majority are unhappy with their bodies

-- The vast majority put their weight gain down to getting older, having babies and the menopause

In 2004 15,019 women in the UK underwent plastic/cosmetic surgery. In 2005 the figure went up to 19,601. The largest increases were in facelifts and eyelid surgery.

Health care professionals in the UK have voiced concern over the eating patterns of middle-aged women. The best way to look and feel good, they say, is to follow a sensible diet and do regular exercise.

Written by: Christian Nordqvist
Editor: Medical News Today
Copyright: Medical News Today
Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today

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