Psychological factors in nutritional disorders of the elderly: Part of thespectrum of eating disorders

Objective: To illustrate common psychogenic factors involved in undereating and undernutrition in the elderly. Method: Two cases are described. Result s: In the context of age-related physical and social factors, obsessional, phobic, and hypochondriacal anxieties can lead to significant food restrict ions and undernutrition. Discussion: Psychogenic factors need to be conside red in undernutrition of the elderly and the phenomena considered in the sp ectrum of eating disorders. (C) 1999 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.