Late Onset Anorexia Nervosa: Two Case Reports

Objective: Some patients develop an eating disorder at a late age. It is worth investigating why this syndrome develops at such widely different ages. Methods: Two Japanese cases of late onset anorexia nervosa are reported. Results: In these late onset cases, anorexia developed out of sadness over a loss such as bereavement, divorce, and fear or anxiety for the future. In addition, these two patients didn't demonstrate a fear of aging or of losing their attractiveness and sexuality, nor did they develop a dissociative disturbance based on an early traumatic history of sexual abuse in PTSD. Conclusion: Although the clinical features are similar, there appear to be differences between late onset and adolescent cases in psychological mechanisms.