Body image problems and eating disorders persist for women at age 50 and older

According to a survey on body image conducted on women age 50 and older, 3.5 percent reported binge eating and 8 percent reported purging; about the same proportion found in younger women. Survey results are published in the June 2012 issue of International Journal of Eating Disorders.

Gagne, D. A., Holle, A. V., Brownley, K. A., Runfola, C. D., Hofmeier, S., Brnach, K. E., & Bulik, C. M. (2012). Eating disorder symptoms and weight and shape concerns in a large web-based convenience sample of women ages 50 and above: Results of the gender and body image (GABI) study. International Journal of Eating Disorders. doi: 10.1002/eat22030.

Breast cancer risk and alcohol

A recent study finds that even moderate drinking levels were linked to increased breast cancer risk. Study published in Journal of the American Medical Association.

Chen, W. Y., Rosner, B., Hankinson, S. E., Colditz, G. A., Willet, W. C. (2011). Moderate alcohol consumption during adult life, drinking patterns, and breast cancer risk. Journal of the American Medical Association, 17, pp. 1884-1890. doi:10.1001/jama.2011.1590

Diabetes linked to cognitive decline in older adults

Recent research suggests that diabetes may affect brain function in older adults in addition to its already established links to cardiovascular disease, impaired vision, and nerve damage. The study appears in the June 2012 issue of Archives of Neurology.

Yaffe, M., Falvey, C., Hamilton, N., Schwartz, A. V., Simonsick, E. M., Satterfield, S., Cauley, J. A., Rosano, C., Launer, L. J., Strotmeyer, E. S., Harris, T. B. (2012). Diabetes, glucose control, and nine-year cognitive decline among older adults without dementia. Archives of Neurology. doi: 10.1001/archneurol.2012.