Causes for Eating Disorders in Older People

The general public are becoming increasingly aware that the older generations often suffer from eating disorders, namely anorexia. This anorexia differs from anorexia nervosa as the person doesn’t decrease their food intake to lose weight or because of a distortion of body image.

There are several reasons why an older person may not be eating sufficiently and these can include a lack of money to buy food, being physically unable to go out and buy food or carry it home, be unable to prepare a meal so therefore do not eat proper nutritious meals, or because they lack the motivation because of a fragile emotional state.

Whatever the reasons, it is vital that attention and awareness is further heightened so that we can make sure we notice the signs of an older person who is not eating properly and find ways around the issue that is causing the problem and look after the older generations.

Loss of Motivation

It may not be the most obvious cause of not eating well, but losing the motivation to look after even the most basic needs can play a big role in this issue.Whether it is depression, the loss of a loved one or a simple lack of wanting to look after basic needs can lead people to neglect their nutrition.

Some people do not deal with growing older very well and this may be affected further if physical health is deteriorating. There is a chance that depression can develop causing a person to not feel the need or motivation to eat at all.

Lack of Finance

It is no secret that those living purely on a state pension find themselves on hard times every now and then, especially during the winter months when it is harder to stay warm, particularly when fuel costs are so high. Due to this many people find themselves having to make the decision of whether to spend their money on heating their home and being warm or eating healthy and nutritious meals. Often the decision is to warm their home a little and eat less; this can easily lead to a state of anorexia as they are not eating enough to sustain their body.

Inability to Provide Resources

As we get older our body slows down and we lose muscle mass and bone density; this makes physical activity increasingly difficult to sustain to the same level.

This is a very good example of how easy it may be for an older person to continue to do the shopping. Not only may it be very hard to go to the shops, but they are then faced with carrying a heavy basket or pushing a trolley around the shop, standing in a queue for a long time and then having to pack the bags and carry the shopping home. This can be almost impossible for those who have already got limited physical capability and can force then to only do a minimal shop every time they venture to the nearest grocer’s or supermarket.They may well want to eat well but the simple act of going shopping becomes a nightmare of a chore that may not be achievable.

Inability to Prepare Meals

It is not only doing the shopping that may be restrictive as cooking a meal might not be very achievable either. The rising costs of energy, whether it is electric or gas can mean that those with very low incomes do not have enough supply to heat their home or cook a meal.

There are many reasons why older people may find themselves with an inadvertent eating disorder, but with help and provisions, this issue may be avoidable in many circumstances.