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What Is Orthorexia Nervosa, An Obsession With Healthy Eating? Causes, Symptoms And Treatments

Orthorexia or Orthorexia Nervosa is a type of eating disorder characterised by an obsession with healthy eating habits. People with the condition get so obsessed with "healthy eating" that it starts affecting their well-being in a negative way.

What Is Orthorexia Nervosa?

Some studies link orthorexia with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Although orthorexia is not yet classified as a disorder in the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), it is a serious mental health disorder that can lead to physical and psychological distress. [1]

Take a look at the details.

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Causes Of Orthorexia Nervosa

There are many factors that may cause orthorexia. In most cases, orthorexia begins as a genuine desire to live a healthier lifestyle. Soon, a person may begin to eliminate foods from their diet until they are only eating foods prepared in specific ways, like with no sugar or specific cooking oils.

They will spend most of their time thinking about food and how they can eat 'clean' and 'pure'. Soon, they may also obsess over the calories they consume and become overly concerned about the health benefits of the foods they eat and how they were processed and prepared.

These habits soon become an obsession, and patients with orthorexia will try to keep themselves healthy to the point where they start avoiding foods that are necessary for their health and well-being. [2]

Other factors may include history of eating disorder, history of anxiety and childhood trauma such as being teased for weight.

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Symptoms Of Orthorexia Nervosa

Some of the symptoms or behavioural changes in people with orthorexia may include: [3]

  • Getting too obsessed with the types of foods and how they affect health in terms of digestion, anxiety, allergies, low mood, etc.
  • A general habit of avoiding food to avoid ailments.
  • Checking ingredient lists and nutrition labels obsessively.
  • Eliminating large groups of food such as carbs, gluten and fats from their diet for no medical, religious, cultural, or ethical reasons.
  • Spending unnecessary time planning, buying and preparing meals they think are healthy, to the point that it interferes with other aspects of life.
  • More inclined towards consuming herbal products.
  • Obsessed with washing food items or sterilisation of utensils.
  • Avoiding social gatherings to avoid 'unhealthy food', making them vulnerable to serious mental illnesses and complications.
  • They make their own dietary norms and follow them strictly. If the norms are violated for some reason, they develop a feeling of guilt, making them more orthorexic.
  • Hating or dissatisfied with people who are not obsessed with healthy food.
  • Avoiding food made by others, leading to problems in relationships.
What Is Orthorexia Nervosa?

Risk Factors Of Orthorexia Nervosa

Some of the risk factors for orthorexia may include:

  • History of obsessive-compulsive disorder.
  • History of certain eating disorders.
  • History of anxiety.
  • Obsession with a perfect body image.
  • Social factors like the use of social media, nutrition knowledge and stigmas related to weight. [4]
  • Fear of contracting a disease or illness due to unhealthy eating habits.

Complications Of Orthorexia Nervosa

Orthorexia may lead to complications such as:

  • Malnutrition
  • Social isolation
  • Other eating disorders like binge eating.
  • Loss of relationships.
  • Poor quality of life.
  • Lower immune system.
  • Emotional instability.
  • Infertility.
  • Chronic diseases like heart disease.

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Diagnosis Of Orthorexia Nervosa

As aforementioned, experts do not recognise orthorexia as an official psychiatric disorder and thus, it does not come under the diagnostic criteria of DSM-5.

However, orthorexia does share characteristics with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), anxiety and anorexia, and some studies also consider the condition as a subset of these mental health disorders. [5]

Orthorexia is mainly diagnosed by a doctor, therapist or dietitian who is interviewing a person with the aforementioned symptoms. Some of the screening tools may include ORTO-15, Bratman Orthorexia Test (BOT) and Eating Habits Questionnaire (EHQ). [6]

A routine physical exam and blood work may be performed to check for nutritional deficiencies and other complications.

What Is Orthorexia Nervosa?

Treatments Of Orthorexia Nervosa

The treatment of orthorexia starts by identifying the condition. Some people may ignore their condition, which may lead to its severity.

The treatment methods for orthorexia may include:

  • Psychotherapy: It helps treat underlying mental health conditions like anxiety and OCD that are causing orthorexia.
  • Medications: Like serotonin reuptake inhibitors to treat anxiety and OCD symptoms.
  • Psychoeducation: To correct illogical beliefs about foods, their preparation and their purity. [7]
  • Behavioural therapy: It is centered on the patient's thoughts and beliefs and changes their negative thoughts about food with helpful and effective thoughts.

To Conclude

Eating healthy is good for health and well-being, however, getting obsessed with 'healthy eating' can be oxthorexic and may disturb the quality of life. Consult a medical expert if you suspect symptoms of orthorexia in yourself or any of your loved ones.