Anorexia, a disease prevalent among young women throughout the world does not come just at a young age, according to a new study conducted by the University of Sydney. Women who are in their 30s and 40s, and even above, can suffer from the disease.

Stephen Touyz, professor of clinical psychology at the University of Sydney, conducted the first study of its kind in the world, examining women from Sydney and London who have had the disease for seven years or longer.

He revealed that the infirmity was progressively more widespread in older women, most of whom have endured the disorder since they were youthful.

Anorexia, caused due to extreme beauty consciousness, comes from having too little food combined with unnecessary strenuous work out. The condition can be cured only with a proper balanced diet, but more often than not, women choose not to go for treatment, as getting better would mean gaining weight. The condition is increasing in older women, many of whom have suffered from it from a young age.

He said that ''People who fall into this particular category are not in treatment because they are too scared to seek help - because getting better means putting on weight."

Professor Touyz said the numbers were so huge because 30 per cent of those suffering from anorexia, but were not diagnosed in adolescence went on to suffer throughout their entire life.

The youth today choose beauty over, although there is news from all over the world about women dying young because of superfluous and excessive diet control is not a new thing. Creating awareness about the disease might help reduce the risk, but with beauty concepts remaining in favor of those who can barely make the needle on the weighing machine move, it is doubtful as to how effective it can prove to be.