Beware of Orthorexia

You are aware of anorexia, bulimia, and other eating disorders, but have you even heard of the ever growing orthorexia?
When it comes to eating disorders, there are a lot of questions about all the different types, and these days there are far more than just anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. While orthorexia is not officially recognized in the DSM-5, it is a proposed eating disorder, and a condition that appears to affect many individuals particularly in the western world.
What is it?
Orthorexia is the unhealthy obsession with only consuming foods that are considered ‘healthy”, and a preoccupation with avoiding foods that are not attaining the highest caliber of nutrition (Kratina). This is not to be confused with someone who simply chooses to make healthy choices, it is someone whose life and sense of control orbits around only consuming foods they deem as healthy. It is when eating good foods become overly restrictive, and ultimately dangerous.

What are the symptoms or signs?
A major symptom of orthorexia is the inability to relinquish control of food for even a moment. Orthorexics will often have difficulties eating in social situations due to their lack of choices of the purest and healthiest ingredients. Eating healthy is obviously something you should strive to do, but it becomes problematic when you are unable to consume food that wasn’t prepared under your strict supervision. While many people will follow a strict regimen on a diet, for orthorexics it is more for control than for weight management.
In a study released in 2005 they did research on orthorexia and its diagnosis (Donini). A series of questions were asked, and those that answered yes to two or more questions were very possibly suffering from a mild case of orthorexia.
Questions to ask:
Do you care more about the virtue of what you eat than the pleasure you receive from eating it?
Does your diet socially isolate you?
Do you spend more than 3 hours a day thinking about healthy foods?
When you eat the way you're supposed to, do you feel in total control?
Are you planning tomorrow's menu today?
Has the quality of your life decreased as the quality of your diet increased?
Have you become stricter with yourself?
Does your self-esteem get a boost from eating healthy?
Do you look down on others who don't eat this way?
Do you skip foods you once enjoyed in order to eat the "right" foods?
Does your diet make it difficult for you to eat anywhere but at home, distancing yourself from family and friends?
Do you feel guilt or self-loathing when you stray from your diet?
What are the negative ramifications?
Orthorexia becomes dangerous when food choices and/or portions become so restrictive that deficiencies occur. There are also many psychological problems that can develop with self deprecation, and intense guilt when poor food choices are made. Orthorexia can lead to physical, social, and mental issues if left untreated and unaddressed (Kratina).
How to treat it?
Seeking professional medical help is advised if you or someone you know is struggling with an eating disorder. nationaleatingdisorders.org is a great resource to receive help or learn more about how to deal with eating disorders including orthorexia.
Becca Capell
iFIT Head Trainer
References
Donini L, Marsili D, Graziani M, Imbriale M, Cannella C (2005). "Orthorexia nervosa: validation of a diagnosis questionnaire". Eat Weight Disord 10 (2): e28–32.PMID 16682853.
Kratina, K. (n.d.). Orthorexia Nervosa. Retrieved April 1, 2015, from https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/orthorexia-nervosa