Disordered eating behaviors and attitudes and their correlates among a community sample of older women.

This study provided a descriptive report of disordered eating behaviors and attitudes among older women and evaluated correlates (maladaptive perfectionism, appearance-related criticism). Participants were 97 women, ages 65-90, who completed questionnaires. Per the Eating Attitudes Test - 26, approximately 6% of participants met clinical cut-offs for a likely eating disorder. Maladaptive perfectionism was significantly correlated with an array of disordered eating attitudes as well as bulimic symptoms, but appearance-related criticism from significant others was not significantly correlated with disordered eating behaviors or attitudes. Results suggest that disordered eating behaviors and attitudes exist among older women with both similarities and differences in correlates compared to young women.