Can you be older and anorexic?

[CTyankee]

My SIL's mother had anorexia for a very long time. She has just passed away at age 66 due to her severe health problems and the fact that she just didn't want to live any longer (her husband just passed a month ago). She started drinking a lot and got pneumonia and refused treatment and her kidneys failed.

I didn't think you could be elderly and have anorexia. For one thing, I thought anorexics died young (like Karen Carpenter)and I had never heard of an old anorexic until this.

[Shell Beau]

1. Anorexia knows no age

[Left Is Write]

2. Yes.

Anorexics may die young if they begin young and go untreated. There is nothing to say that anorexia doesn't start later, and it can "go away" for a while with the person thinking she is okay, only to slide back into it later.