What is Orthorexia?

There’s a new eating disorder that has been in the news lately. To add to the ever growing list of disordered eating, including – anorexia, bulimia, B.E.D (Binge Eating Disorder), there’s now a new eating disorder called Orthorexia.

What is Orthorexia?

Orthorexia an abnormal concern (obsession) with healthy eating. An individual with orthorexia will often focus so much on eating healthy that they will eat only one kind of food, eliminate perceived unhealthy foods, eat at very specific times of the day, or other kinds of eating restrictions. Those with orthorexia may juice to extreme or eliminate whole food groups from their diet.

Not that New

Steven Bratman, MD coined the term Orthorexia in 1996. It is not currently a recognized clinical diagnosis but was used to describe those who are overly health obsessed. Those with orthorexia are not necessarily concerned with being thin, just that they eat healthy.

Great Intentions Gone Wrong

Orthorexia often starts with great intentions. Those who develop orthorexia often do so because they want to eat and live more healthy. A person who becomes a vegetarian may feel so good about their diet change that they become vegan, in the search to feel even better or be more healthy they may look to eat “pure” foods. A person with orthorexia feels morally superior, or righteous, for eating so healthy which then becomes self perpetuating.

Isolation

Those with orthorexia often eat so ‘healthy’ they become malnourished. In addition to the malnourishment they can also become isolated. Many with orthorexia will refuse to eat food prepared by others because they can’t be sure of its purity.

On the Rise

There seems to be an increase in the number of people with orthorexia. As we focus more and more on healthy eating it’s no surprise that those who are inclined to become obsessed would. The increase in the use of health apps and fitness challenge apps could also play a role in the increase of orthorexia cases.

Recovery

Like all eating disorders, getting professional help is the key to recovering from orthorexia. Many of those with the eating disorder don’t understand that their eating is a problem. If you, or someone you know, obsesses about eating healthy, to the degree where they are eliminating food categories from their diets, isolating themselves or exhibiting other signs of orthorexia they should seek help.

Locus Therapy is currently taking patients with eating disorders, if you have an eating disorder and would like to talk to someone please contact Anna Lamden at 312-818-4998.