Eating disorders strike during midlife

Looking back, Dee Shore remembers what triggered her eating disorder at 42.

"I had been promoted and it just wasn't a job that fit me," Shore said.

She began to eat less to cope with the stress. Some days, she would only have 100 calories worth of food.

After dropping more than 40 percent of her bodyweight, her therapist told her to see a doctor for anorexia. When she did, he dismissed it.

"He said you don't fit the picture, that happens to teenage girls," Shore said.

Author of "Midlife Eating Disorders" Cynthia Bulik said eating disorders can strike anyone at any time. About half of her patients are over 35.

"We're looking at about 5 percent of the population with full-blown threshold eating disorders," Bulik added.

Research shows that younger adults and middle-aged women face similar factors for developing an eating disorder - a tendency towards perfectionism and low self-esteem.

But women in their 40's and 50's are also dealing with approaching menopause and aging anxiety. Triggers are often tied to traumatic events, such as a loss of a parent or their children leaving home.

"We see a lot of divorce, unemployment, empty nest. Kids all leave the house and all of a sudden your identity changes completely," Bulik said.

Early detection is critical in treating eating disorders, Bulik said.

Shore's therapist gave her an ultimatum - get help or she will have her committed. Eight years after voluntarily seeking treatment, Shore is still working on recovery.

"Some days I truly want to give up though. This is the most harrowing experience I've ever been through," Shore said.

But the struggle is worth it to overcome for herself and her daughter.

"I have to think about what I'm eating at the table and what I'm modeling for her," Shore said.

Even though there are an estimated 30 million people with eating disorders, research is largely underfunded.

The average research spent per individual with Alzheimer's is $88. Compare that to 93 cents for those with eating disorders - even though six times more people are affected by eating disorders.