Is "Late Onset Eating Disorder" The Right Term?

Is "Late Onset" just glorifying the idea eating disorders normally impact young people?

In this week's episode of Full of Beans, Han is joined by Logan Strouther, integrative psychotherapist, clinical lead at an eating disorder charity in Nottinghamshire, and co-founder of Garden Room Therapy.

Logan first explored late-onset eating disorders (LOED) during his undergraduate research and now works directly with clients experiencing these challenges first-hand.

In this episode, we discuss:

Is “late-onset eating disorder” the right term?
What the research (or lack thereof) tells us about age and onset
Hormonal and neurological factors (e.g., menopause, oestrogen, impulse control)
How medical weight stigma contributes to missed diagnoses
Eating disorders in care homes and older adults
The emotional toll of shame, grief, and moral incongruence
Gendered assumptions and the underrepresentation of men
What needs to change in treatment models for older adults

Timestamps:

01:30 – What does “late-onset ED” actually mean?
05:00 – Hormones, menopause & appetite regulation
08:00 – Weight stigma in healthcare
12:00 – Life transitions & ED vulnerability in older age
25:00 – Men and late-onset eating disorders
30:00 – Neurodivergence and late diagnosis
34:00 – Adapting treatment for older adults
40:00 – What needs to change in research & services

⚠️ Trigger Warning: This episode includes discussions around eating disorder behaviours, weight stigma, menopause and grief, and care homes. Please take care when listening.

Resources & Links: