Orthorexia Nervosa: An Obsession With Healthy Eating

When does being healthy tip into an obsession?

Meet orthorexia: an eating disorder characterized by an obsession with healthy or pure foods. Orthorexics are not interested in dieting, but rather consuming their meals in the most healthy and nutritious way possible. The line between being highly health-conscious and having Orthorexia Nervosa isn't always clear —Orthorexia is hard to diagnose because more people now than ever are eating vegan, vegetarian or gluten-free for reasons other than weight loss. Is it possible that they just really love quinoa? When does being healthy tip into an obsession?

Orthorexia is a term coined by Dr. Steven Bratman to describe someone who has an obsession with healthy eating. Eating a "perfect" diet takes over your life, causing misery and guilt.

Orthorexia is not currently recognized as a distinct eating disorder by the World Health Organization (WHO), but it's becoming more widely discussed in the public sphere. The word is made up of two parts: orthos, which means "straight, correct, or true," like in orthodox; and orexia, which comes from the Greek word for appetite. Orthorexia describes an obsessive focus on eating healthy.

Over time, when someone has orthorexia, a healthy diet and lifestyle can become so extreme, it actually becomes detrimental to their well-being. They may find that they are no longer able to enjoy family meals or social occasions because they are too focused on what they perceive as “clean” food choices—and may even feel guilty after consuming foods that aren't considered “healthy.” Orthorexic behaviors might include avoiding social situations where other people will be eating foods that are not aligned with their beliefs about health and nutrition, refusing to eat out at restaurants because you cannot control what ingredients are being used in the food preparation process, or even avoiding individual food groups altogether based on the idea that they're unhealthy without any medical evidence supporting this belief (for instance, eschewing grains entirely).

The line between being highly health-conscious and having orthorexia Nervosa isn't always clear. Orthorexia is hard to diagnose because more people now than ever are eating vegan, vegetarian, or gluten-free for reasons other than weight loss.

People with orthorexia tend to have a few things in common. They tend to be “high achievers,” says Steven Bratman, MD, the physician who first coined the term back in 1997. (He says he realized he had orthorexia after writing a book on healthy eating.) “They are perfectionists and they want to get everything right. And so if they can be perfect about their food choices, that’s a way of controlling their lives and feeling good about themselves.” They also may have anxiety, depression, or obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and many will be strongly influenced by exercise and body image—such as bodybuilding or body sculpting.

Orthorexia often co-occurs with other mental health conditions like anxiety and anorexia nervosa.

While orthorexia is not formally recognized as an eating disorder like anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa or binge eating, it can be diagnosed by a mental health professional and often co-occurs with these disorders. The condition frequently also goes hand-in-hand with anxiety disorders and obsessive-compulsive disorder, to name a few. If you have already been diagnosed with one of these mental health conditions, it’s possible that orthorexia could transition into an eating disorder. Similarly, having orthorexia can exacerbate the symptoms of other conditions you may already have.

Diagnosing orthorexia as an eating disorder is complicated because there are no universal diagnostic criteria for it in the same way there are for anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa.

The first step in getting help is seeking out a doctor or psychiatrist who can diagnose orthorexia, but attempting to do so can be difficult because there is no official diagnosis for it. The American Psychiatric Association does not recognize orthorexia nervosa as an eating disorder, and therefore, it can fall under categories like obsessive-compulsive disorder or anorexia nervosa.

However, if you think you may have symptoms of orthorexia, your doctor or psychiatrist may be able to help you get treatment. A number of therapists specialize in treating eating disorders and are familiar with the concept of orthorexia. They will use strategies similar to those used by psychiatrists and psychologists to treat other eating disorders like anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa or obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

Treatment for orthorexia focuses on learning how to create a normal relationship with food again so you can enjoy eating without guilt and anxiety, ideally in the company of others.

Treatment for orthorexia focuses on learning how to create a normal relationship with food again so you can enjoy eating without guilt and anxiety, ideally in the company of others. There are many techniques that therapists use to do this, such as:

• Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) to change the way you interpret your thoughts and change your perception of "good" and "bad" foods.

• Exposure therapy to gradually introduce foods into your diet instead of eliminating them immediately.

• Mindfulness-based therapies help you learn how to be present at the moment without being consumed by negative thoughts about food or meals.

☁️ HERE’S THE DEAL ☁️

Orthorexia is an eating disorder that manifests as an obsession with healthy eating. At the onset, orthorexia can begin as a very positive lifestyle choice to "get healthy," but over time, it starts to cause major mental and physical health problems. The key takeaway here is that your diet should not rule your life, and at the first sign of orthorexia say something to someone you trust right away (ideally a professional).

This article is for informational purposes only, even if and regardless of whether it features the advice of physicians and medical practitioners. This article is not, nor is it intended to be, a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment and should never be relied upon for specific medical advice.