Orthorexia: An Unhealthy Obsession With Healthy Eating

What Is Orthorexia?

Orthorexia nervosa is a type of eating disorder that involves an obsession with healthy eating. The condition was defined in 1997 by Dr. Steven Bratman, MD. It is not currently recognised as a standalone eating disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-5). However, it is widely recognised by eating disorder clinicians.

What Causes Orthorexia?

As with all eating disorders, the development of orthorexia is likely to be multifactorial. Some factors that may contribute to orthorexia include:

• A history of trauma
• Low self-esteem
• Unresolved personal conflicts
• Unhealthy relationships
• A long history of dieting
• Perfectionist tendencies
• Societal pressures
• A need to feel ‘in control’

For some people, the path to orthorexia can begin as a well-intended health or wellness goal, for example, to improve health, lose weight, build muscle, eat healthily or run a marathon.

Whatever the reasons are that this illness developed for you, orthorexia is not a choice. It is just as serious as other eating disorders and can have a negative impact on the sufferer’s entire life. The illness is a result of underlying experiences and emotions that haven’t been worked through. Seeking treatment and support can help you to learn the underlying causes and triggers of orthorexia nervosa, so that you can learn healthier coping mechanisms and recover from the eating disorder.

Orthorexia is becoming more common, particularly with the rise in the use of social media. Worryingly, a study found that 49% of people following food and healthy eating accounts on Instagram displayed symptoms of orthorexia. 

“Some of the factors that may contribute to orthorexia include a history of trauma, low self-esteem, unresolved personal conflicts, unhealthy relationships, a long history of dieting, perfectionistic tendencies, societal pressures and a need to feel ‘in control‘ .”

What Are The Symptoms?

If you suffer from orthorexia, you may find yourself spending a large amount of time worrying over whether what you eat is ‘healthy’ or ‘pure’ at the expense of other areas of your life. Over time, you may have started cutting out numerous foods because you feel that they are unhealthy. Some examples of food groups commonly limited or excluded include:

• Sugar, fats and salt
• Dairy and gluten
• Meat and poultry
• Non-organic food
• Genetically modified food
• Carbohydrates 
• Processed foods

Questionnaire:

If you suspect yourself or a loved one might be developing orthorexia, ask yourself the following:

• Have you cut out particular foods or food groups from your diet in an attempt to make it more healthy? 
• Do you feel high levels of distress if ‘clean’ or ‘healthy’ food is unavailable? 
• Are you noticing yourself judging other people’s food choices with regards to how healthy it is for them? 
• Do you spend a significant amount of time thinking about what food will be served at upcoming events? 
• Are you only able to eat from a narrow list of ‘healthy’, ‘clean’ or ‘pure’ foods?
• Do you find yourself obsessively checking nutrition labels and ingredients lists?
• Is the time and energy you spend focussing on food affecting other areas of your life, such as your relationships, social life or work? 
• Do you find yourself obsessively following food and health-related blogs or influencers on social media?
• Are you allowed to eat ‘unhealthy’ foods in moderation, or does this cause you distress and lead to compensatory behaviours, such as exercise? 
• Do you spend a significant amount of time researching vitamins and supplements, or increasing amounts of money purchasing them?

If you answered yes to some of these, then it’s a good sign your commitment to healthy eating may have started to shift towards unhealthy. It may be time to consider reaching out for support with orthorexia recovery.

SUMMARY

In summary, we live in a society that is increasingly health-conscious and rife with poor diet advice. Moreover, in this climate, it can be easy for a commitment to healthy eating to develop into something unhealthy, involving a slowly shrinking universe of foods deemed acceptable and a fixation on food and wellbeing.

So if you find your diet growing increasingly restrictive, are experiencing food anxiety, or feel your emotional well-being suffering because of an obsession with ‘clean’ or ‘healthy’ eating, then reach out to an eating disorder specialist today. With the right support, it is possible to be free of your eating disorder and completely change your path for years to come.

Author: Sasha Paul, Eating Disorder Therapist

---

In the September 2021 issue of Happiful, our eating disorder specialist Sasha Paul answers the most-asked questions on orthorexia, explaining what you need to know and top tips for those who are struggling with it. You can read all her expert advice on page 34 of the free mental health and wellbeing magazine here!