Menopause Associated With Eating Disorder Spike

Written by Rachel Murphy · August 14, 2026

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Weight gain is one of the top complaints from women in perimenopause and menopause. Although it’s reasonable to want to prevent or reduce weight gain during this time, that goal can sometimes turn into disordered eating.

This pattern is starting to get more attention, and it’s gotten a new name — “menorexia.” While menorexia isn’t a medical diagnosis, the term is sometimes used to describe eating disorders that develop, return, or worsen during midlife, especially around perimenopause and menopause.

Here’s what you should know.

Women in Midlife Aren’t Immune to Eating Disorders

Eating disorders have typically been associated with younger women, but a 2024 literature survey shows that women in midlife also show signs of disordered eating behaviors, including restricted eating, bingeing, and purging.

Theresa DeLorenzo, who has a doctorate in clinical nutrition, treats disordered eating as the founder of Nutrition for Optimal Performance, based in Clifton Park, New York.

She sees both people whose anorexia resurfaces decades after treatment and those experiencing disordered eating behaviors for the first time during menopause.

“When women are underfueling and overexercising, cortisol goes up even more than it would have during nonperimenopause years, and the cortisol has a really large impact on our inflammation,” DeLorenzo explained. “So it actually worsens the situation, and it makes it harder to control weight.”

Menopause Can Hurt Body Image

Perimenopause and menopause are times of significant body changes, including weight gain.

Weight gain can affect self-esteem and body image. A 2026 survey from Equip, a virtual eating disorder treatment platform, found that 42 percent of menopausal women reported negative feelings about their bodies.

The same survey found that 35 percent of female respondents aged 36 to 65 reported developing disordered eating behaviors for the first time in midlife. Some of these women attributed their eating and exercise behaviors to feeling like they had no control over the way their bodies were changing.

Women on ThisIsMenopause have shared how weight changes affect their self-image:

“I want to feel better and drop this weight. I feel it will definitely help my self-esteem.”

“I’ve been dealing with my weight and self-confidence issues for a few years now.”

“I just wanna feel good again and love myself again. I hate the person I’m looking at in the mirror.”

Social Pressure and Unrealistic Expectations

DeLorenzo attributed some of the body image challenges in perimenopause and menopause to unhealthy and unrealistic beauty standards.

“Our society has distorted our ideas of a healthy body image,” she said. “In the ’80s and ’90s, the thin body type was coveted. We got better for a while when the ‘healthy at every size’ movement began, but we’re back to thinner is better,” she said.

DeLorenzo recommends women consider how the social media content they follow may affect their body image and eating habits. Popular social media trends like “what I eat in a day” and nutrition advice that lacks scientific evidence can be damaging.

“Follow people with credentials, like registered dietitians, doctors, and people training in eating disorders, body image, and menopause,” DeLorenzo advised. “If social media is too triggering, go off of it for a little while. Take a break.”

Physical Signs of Disordered Eating Are Hard To Spot in Menopause

The physical signs of disordered eating can be harder to spot in menopause. DeLorenzo noted that younger women may stop having periods during extreme calorie restriction. In perimenopause, irregular periods are common, and after reaching menopause, women no longer menstruate.

Instead, she said she looks for social cues: “Withdrawing, not wanting to be social, and eating the same things because they feel ‘safe’ are all big signs.”

“But some of the other signs, like brittle hair and nails, can be confused with common perimenopause symptoms,” DeLorenzo added.

Getting Help for Disordered Eating

If you find yourself withdrawing from social events, obsessively counting calories, or exercising excessively, there is help.

You can start by confiding in a trusted friend or family member or talking to a healthcare provider. Your healthcare provider may be able to refer you to a mental health provider who specializes in eating disorders or connect you with support resources in your community.

You can also check out Eating Disorder Hope, which keeps an updated list of eating disorder helplines offering mental health support 24/7.

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