When people say, I have an eating disorder,' they should not be ignored. People should not look at weight as a determining factor. Just because a person is overweight doesn't mean they aren't anorexic. Anorexia is looked at as being for young, thin people. But older anorexics have had more time to develop and gain weight so they may start out heavier.
Many anorexics die before they become emaciated because of upset body functions.
This was true in her case, liver and kidney damage would have killed her within weeks if she had not been admitted to the hospital, long before she became emaciated. When people stop eating, find out what is wrong in their life. Something has gone wrong somewhere and needs to be fixed. Eating habits can be a good indication of other problems. Try to get people to open up and learn where their true source of pain is.