Orthorexia Nervosa is an extreme fixation and obsession with healthy eating. This condition can lead to serious health consequences and challenges. It can be hard to identify when eating behaviors become disordered, especially when the individual believes their choices are “healthy”. The concept of healthy eating has been around for a long time, and as a society, we place a lot of value on healthy lifestyles. Being aware of what we are eating is important, but too much focus on healthy eating can have lasting physical, psychological, and financial costs to the individual and society.
By: Rachel Grossman
Orthorexia may begin with the simple choice to embrace a healthy, or as commonly referred to now as a “clean”, diet. This choice can lead to problems when the pursuit of healthy eating intensifies into an unhealthy obsession. These are some warning signs that may indicate orthorexia:
- Impulsively checking food labels for ingredients and nutrition facts
- Increasing concern about the health of ingredients
- Cutting out many food groups like sugars, carbs, dairy, meats, and all animal products
- Experiencing distress when preferred “healthy” or “clean” food is not available
- Spending an increasing amount of time focusing on food and meal prepping
- Obsessively following healthy blogs on Twitter, Instagram, etc.
Our society places a lot of emphasis on healthy eating, but those messages can do more harm than good. Orthorexia is challenging because orthorexic behaviors are often seen as normal, healthy, or even praised in society.
Often, orthorexic behaviors can manifest because of social media. Studies have found that higher Instagram use is associated with a greater tendency towards orthorexia. Research shows that 54% of consumers use social media to discover and share food experiences. Food posts, particularly healthy food, are one of the most popular categories, based on an analysis of Instagram photo content. Users have more positive reactions to healthy food and eating than less healthy images. When individuals, particularly young people, spend so much time absorbing these messages, they are at an increased risk of orthorexia.
Although orthorexia is not included in the DSM, the effects can have severe and long-lasting implications. While eating disorders like anorexia nervosa, bulimia, and binge eating disorder have formal criteria for diagnosis and a long history of research; orthorexia is a “new” disorder. Orthorexia cannot be diagnosed. It is believed that it has been brought on by recent cultural developments, which make these extreme diets normal behavior. Orthorexia is similar to some eating disorders in that it shows a similar preoccupation with food and often involves various anxious behaviors. Orthorexia can lead to malnutrition, deficiencies in nutrients critical for growth, and impact daily functioning. Individuals with orthorexia might avoid social situations where they might find unhealthy food or spend excessive time prepping healthy meals.
Treating orthorexia requires balancing the benefits of healthy food with the harm caused by obsessive thoughts of healthy living. Research has found that treatments for anorexia nervosa and other eating disorders may be effective for orthorexia. Various existing treatment approaches can help restructure thinking, change behaviors, address anxieties and manage distressing emotions. Individuals with orthorexia might also benefit from treating and co-occurring conditions like anxiety, depression, OCD, phobias, eating disorders, substance use, etc. Engaging in treatment for a co-occurring condition might help someone with orthorexia feel more supported as they work toward changing their lifestyle and their views on healthy eating.
Do You Think You Or A Loved One Might Be Living With Orthorexia Nervosa?
At BALANCE eating disorder treatment center™, we are dedicated to treating the spectrum of eating disorders, including orthorexia, anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, and other disordered eating behaviors and body image issues. We understand that each client is unique and requires a customized treatment program.
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This post was written by BALANCE Social Work Intern, Rachel Grossman (she/her).
Rachel is a graduate student at New York University pursuing her Master’s degree in Social Work. She previously graduated with her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology with a focus on psychopathology. Rachel previously worked conducting assessments and providing short-term counseling to children and families internationally. Rachel is passionate about supporting her clients on the journey to recovery.
References
- Fixsen, A., Cheshire, A., & Berry, M. (2020). The social construction of a concept – orthorexia nervosa: morality narratives and psycho-politics. Qualitative Health Research, 30(7), 1101–1113. https://doi.org/10.1177/1049732320911364
- Hanganu-Bresch C. (2020). Orthorexia: eating right in the context of healthism. Medical humanities, 46(3), 311–322. https://doi.org/10.1136/medhum-2019-011681
- Orthorexia. National Eating Disorders Association. (2019, December 13). https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/learn/by-eating-disorder/other/orthorexia.
- Scarff J. R. (2017). Orthorexia Nervosa: An Obsession With Healthy Eating. Federal practitioner : for the health care professionals of the VA, DoD, and PHS, 34(6), 36–39.
- Turner, P. G., Lefevre, C. E. (2017). Instagram use is linked to increased symptoms of orthorexia nervosa. Eating and Weight Disorders – Studies on Anorexia, Bulimia and Obesity, 22, 277-284. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40519-017-0364-2
