Eating Disorders in Midlife: How Perimenopause and Menopause Can Trigger Disordered Eating11/3/2025 By: Megan Samuels, MSW, LCSW-C, Trauma and Eating Disorder Therapist  There’s a harmful myth in our society—that eating disorders only affect teenagers. This misconception can prevent adults from seeking life-saving support and perpetuates the false idea that eating disorders have an age limit. The truth? Eating disorders don’t discriminate. They can impact people at any age, and they often emerge or resurface during major life transitions—like perimenopause and menopause. In this blog post, we’ll explore how hormonal and life changes during midlife can influence eating disorders and body image—and how to seek support. Eating Disorders and Midlife: What the Research Says According to one study, about 4.6% of women between the ages of 40 and 60 meet the criteria for an eating disorder as defined by the DSM-IV (Mangweth-Matzek et al., 2014). One of the contributing factors? The hormonal shifts that occur during perimenopause and menopause. What Are Perimenopause and Menopause? The National Institute on Aging defines menopause as the natural stage of life when menstruation stops permanently, marking the end of reproductive years. The transition phase leading up to this is known as perimenopause, and it typically begins between ages 45 and 55, though it can start earlier or later. Common symptoms of perimenopause and menopause include:
These symptoms are tied to fluctuating hormone levels, particularly estrogen and progesterone. Body Image and Hormonal Changes Many people going through perimenopause or menopause experience noticeable body changes—like weight gain, a shift in body composition, or bloating. In a culture steeped in diet culture and anti-aging messaging, these natural changes are often labeled as “bad” or something to “fix.” This narrative opens the door for disordered eating behaviors to take hold as individuals attempt to regain a sense of control or cope with feelings of shame, anxiety, or grief about their changing bodies. What’s more, these behaviors may be socially reinforced, making them harder to recognize as harmful. Life Transitions and Emotional Stressors Midlife often brings with it a range of external stressors, including:
The combination of hormonal fluctuations, shifting identities, and external pressures can create a “perfect storm” for disordered eating to emerge. How The Eating Disorder Center Can Help At The Eating Disorder Center, we offer specialized therapy for adults navigating midlife transitions, including perimenopause and menopause, who are struggling with body image and eating concerns. We provide in-person therapy in Rockville, Maryland, and virtual therapy across: Our therapists support individuals dealing with: We also have clinicians who specialize in eating disorders that co-occur with trauma, OCD, or mood disorders. Many of our therapists and coaches have either personally recovered from an eating disorder or supported a loved one through recovery. We blend compassion with structured, goal-oriented therapy to help you move forward. You’re Not Alone—Help Is Available If you or someone you love is struggling with an eating disorder or an unhealthy relationship with food or body image during perimenopause or menopause, support is available—and healing is possible. Give us a call at 301-246-6856 or fill out our contact form to schedule a consultation. You don’t have to face this alone. Journal Prompts for Navigating Perimenopause, Menopause, and Eating Concerns Writing can be a powerful tool in understanding and processing your experience. Try reflecting on the following:
Schedule a FREE 15-minute consultation to explore how eating disorder therapy or recovery coaching can help you to find freedom. 🌟 Available in MD, VA, DC, PA, FL, and CA for eating disorder therapy 🌍 Offering recovery coaching worldwide The Eating Disorder Center is a premier outpatient eating disorder therapy center founded by Jennifer Rollin. We specialize in helping children, teens, and adults struggling with anorexia, binge eating disorder, bulimia, OSFED, and body image issues. We provide eating disorder therapy in Rockville, MD, easily accessible to individuals in Potomac, North Potomac, Bethesda, Olney, Silver Spring, Germantown, and Washington, D.C. We also provide eating disorder therapy in Arlington, Virginia and virtually throughout Virginia. Additionally, we offer eating disorder therapy virtually in Florida, Pennsylvania, and California. We provide eating disorder and EMDR trauma therapy in Rockville, Maryland and virtually throughout Maryland and Virginia. We provide eating disorder recovery coaching via Zoom to people worldwide. Connect with us through our website at www.theeatingdisordercenter.com
References: Mangweth-Matzek B, Hoek HW, Rupp CI, Lackner-Seifert K, Frey N, Whitworth AB, et al. Prevalence of eating disorders in middle-aged women. Int J Eat Disord. 2014;47(3):320–324. doi: 10.1002/eat.22232 National Institute on Aging. (n.d.). What is menopause? U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Retrieved March 17, 2025, from https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/menopause/what-menopause
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The Eating Disorder CenterWe are a premier outpatient eating disorder therapy center in Rockville, Maryland.
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