Excessive Dieting and Infertility

Perhaps the least studied and most common of eating disorders in women is that of excessive dieting. Excessive dieting is defined as an eating pattern that leads to a sudden and dramatic weight loss, accounting for at least 10 percent of the total body weight. This is not the same as anorexia nervosa, which has a whole collection of psychological symptoms related to an overconcern with food and weight that are not found in the excessive dieter. The periods stop (amenorrhea) when weight drops to a level that is 12 to 18 pounds below the ideal body weight (roughly 10-15 percent) or when about 1/3 of the body's fat stores have been used up.
When this has happened the hormone control of ovulation and menstruation is affected. Whether this is due to the stress of the weight loss on the body and mind or just to the fat loss is still unclear. However, ovulation is interrupted, rendering the person infertile (a better term than "sterile" to describe the situation).

Don't worry, it's reversible

The good news is that this condition is completely reversible, and that when the patient regains weight, the periods and ovulation will return. The point at which cycles recur is variable but can be hastened by eliminating stress factors in the life of the patient as well. This may require some special care in centers which specialize in the treatment of eating disorders. It is easier to accomplish when the patient admits that a problem exists, but when denial plays a role in the patient's psychological makeup, in patient treatment at the treatment center may be advisable.