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Orthorexia nervosa is medical jargon for an obsession with healthy eating.  Psychologists from Toronto’s York University explain the drivers and dangers of this condition in a review article just published in the journal Appetite.

Orthorexia nervosa tends to develop in those individuals with a history of eating disorders, obsessive-compulsive personalities, a history of repeated dieting, a poor body image, a desire to be thin, and often a history of depression.  Those individuals who adopt restrictive eating practices such as vegetarians, vegans, and especially lacto-vegetarians are at high risk for this disorder.

Unlike those who suffer from anorexia nervosa and the drive to restrict calories in the effort to maintain a low body weight, persons with Orthorexia nervosa fixate on obtaining or preparing healthy food.  They spend so many hours of the day, planning, purchasing ingredients, and preparing healthy meals that they have little time left for other pursuits.  This disorder seems to affect men and women in near equal numbers.

Orthorexia nervosa, although described in a number of studies, is not officially recognized as an official psychiatric diagnosis.  It’s treatment, though, is similar to many psychiatric disorders and includes: cognitive behavioral therapy, meditative therapy, and psychopharmaceutical therapy with anti-depressives and anti-anxiety medications.

If any of this sounds familiar to you as a description of a family member or of yourself, please know that help is available.

Sarah E. McComb, Jennifer S. Mills. Orthorexia nervosa: A review of psychosocial risk factors. Appetite, 2019; 140: 50 DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2019.05.005

#Orthorexia #ocs #healthyeating #vegan #vegetarian