Orthorexia Nervosa
What is Orthorexia Nervosa?
Orthorexia Nervosa is a restrictive eating disorder that is an obsession with eating healthy or “clean eating”. Although it may seem counterintuitive, obsessing over eating only foods that are deemed “healthy” is actually very unhealthy and can lead to many life-altering side effects.
History
Orthorexia Nervosa was first given its name in 1996 by Dr. Steven Bratman. As it is a fairly new-discovered disorder, the awareness of orthorexia is not as prominent as other eating disorders.
Media Representation
In the media, especially through apps such as Instagram, orthorexia behaviors are glamorized in the fitness/wellness industry. In a 2017 study conducted by the National Liberty of Medicine, it was found that “Higher Instagram use was associated with a greater tendency towards orthorexia Nervosa”; additionally, it was found that 49% of the population of the survey had symptoms of orthorexia (Turner par. 3). This is very alarming because of how detrimental social media can be when it comes to influencing and glamorizing eating disorders.
Misconceptions
There are many misconceptions about orthorexia; many of which are rarely discussed in the media. One misconception is that orthorexia is that it is influenced by body image; however, “The focus of attention with orthorexia is on proper nutrition” (The Recovery Village par. 3). People struggling with orthorexia often have fears about becoming too unhealthy, but in reality, the obsession over nutrition and health is actually unhealthy. Another myth is that orthorexia is the same disorder as anorexia, but in reality, “orthorexia is focused on food quality while anorexia is focused on quantity” (par. 6). However, they are both restrictive disorders.
Additionally, here is a very informative video that dives deeper into Orthorexia Nervosa:
Symptoms
The symptoms of Orthorexia are very unhealthy and damaging both mentally and physically and can have detrimental effects in the future. Some of these symptoms are: emotional eating, food rules and extreme restriction to certain types of food, becoming fearful of food, thinking that certain foods are dangerous, losing interest in social events and activities, judgments towards others’ diets, feeling extreme guilt over consuming certain foods, anxiety over the preparation of food, spending extreme amounts of time, money, and mental and physical energy to prepare certain foods, and more. These symptoms may lead to physical malnourishment, anxiety, depression, heart disease, infertility, low self-esteem, and many more.
This disorder is very dangerous and is rarely discussed in our society. It is time we stood against diet culture and pave the way for a more accepting future.
How to seek help
If you feel that you, or a loved one, are struggling with an eating disorder, please consult a professional or visit the sites below. Asking for help is not easy, but you are not alone, making that first will help you so much in the long run. Happiness and health are worth much more than societal standards.
https://www.helpguide.org/articles/eating-disorders/eating-disorder-treatment-and-recovery.htm
Work Cited
“NCBI - WWW Error Blocked Diagnostic.” Ncbi.Nlm.Nih.Gov, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6370446/#:%7E:text=Orthorexia%20nervosa%20is%20perhaps%20best,and%20poor%20quality%20of%20life. Accessed 10 Sept. 2022.
Mahoney, Ben. “Overview of Orthorexia.” Center For Discovery, 26 May 2021, centerfordiscovery.com/blog/overview-of-orthorexia/#:%7E:text=The%20term%20orthorexia%20was%20first,conflicts%20within%20the%20inner%20self.
“Instagram use is linked to increased symptoms of orthorexia Nervosa” Ncbi.Nlm.Nih.Gov, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28251592. Accessed 10 Sept. 2022.
Carolina House Eating Disorder Treatment Center. “Orthorexia Symptoms and Signs.” Carolina House Eating Disorder Treatment Center, 8 Nov. 2021, www.carolinaeatingdisorders.com/eating-disorders/orthorexia/signs-symptoms.
