Orthorexia

What is orthorexia and how does it differ from other eating disorders? Learn more about this condition with this page.

Orthorexia nervosa, commonly referred to asorthorexia, is aneating disorderbased on obsessive healthy eating. Someone with orthorexia has taken a healthy diet to an unhealthy level. Unlike other common eating disorders, orthorexia is not about weight loss or food quantity. Instead, orthorexia revolves around the quality of food.

What Is Orthorexia?

Orthorexia has not yet been officially recognized in theDiagnostic and Statistical Manual, the handbook for mental health diagnosis. Despite not having an official set of diagnostic criteria, orthorexia is a potentially dangerous eating disorder. Answering, “What is orthorexia?” is complicated with this lack of set criteria. Severalorthorexia definitions exist, each with minor differences.Families Empowered and Supporting Treatment for Eating Disorders, more commonly called FEAST,defines orthorexiaas an obsession with eating healthy food and avoiding unhealthy food.

While orthorexia has only begun to be acknowledged by the larger medical community, the term was first coined in thelate 90s.The word was created from the Greek root “orthos,” which means “right,” creating theorthorexia meaningof, “right appetite,” or, “right eating.”

Orthorexia vs. Anorexia

Orthorexia andanorexiamay on the surface seem similar due to restriction and avoidance of certain foods. However, unlikeanorexia, orthorexiadoes not indicate the restriction of all foods. In cases of orthorexia, the goal is not weight loss but to increase healthfulness. However, both disorders may lead to low body weight and malnutrition.

Signs and Symptoms of Orthorexia

Orthorexia symptomsare contained within two major criteria: an obsession with healthy eating and the disruption of daily life.Signs of orthorexia nervosamay include:

• Consistent preoccupation with making healthy choices and obsession with achieving optimal health
• Anxiety or shame about breaking self-imposed rules
• Severe dietary restrictions that may consist of avoiding entire food groups or doing cleanses and fasts

Some common life disruptions caused by orthorexia include malnutrition, severely low body weight, distress or difficulty functioning due to an obsession with healthy eating, and self-worth being tied to complying with self-imposed rules.

Causes of Orthorexia

In many cases, a desire to eat healthily is positive, and most people want to maintain a healthy diet. Because of this, researchers have asked, “What causes orthorexia nervosa?” Specificorthorexia causesmay be hard to identify becausewhat causes orthorexiais a subtle shift where healthy practices are no longer beneficial. Possible risk factors for developing orthorexia include a history ofeating disordersand havingobsessive-compulsivetendencies. Many people with orthorexia appear to be perfectionists and need to feel in control of their lives.

Orthorexia Side Effects

If left untreated, orthorexia can start to mimic some of the same dangerous side effects of other eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia. Some of the common side effects of orthorexia include the following:

Physical Effects

Consequences of orthorexiainclude medical complications like malnutrition and digestive issues. Someone with orthorexia may develop anemia, osteopenia or other conditions associated with poor nutrition. Chemicalimbalances involving electrolytes and hormonesare common among people with orthorexia. In some cases, these health effects may become life-threatening.

Psychological Effects

Additionalorthorexia side effectsinclude distress and frustration when self-imposed rules are broken. Someone with orthorexia may feel guilt and shame when not following strict standards for healthy eating. In extreme cases, someone may self-punish and implement purification cleanses and fasts if a rule is broken. The constant preoccupation of orthorexia may belinked toimpaired brain functioning and decision-making skills.

Social Effects

Socialeffects of orthorexiainclude a need for control and the implementation of rigid patterns that prevent someone from participating in normal social activities, especially ones involving food. A person with orthorexia may experience social isolation due to their inability to be flexible with their self-imposed standards.

Diagnosing Orthorexia

Because there are no set guidelines for diagnosing orthorexia and no clearorthorexia nervosa test, it can be difficult to diagnose this condition. Someorthorexia quizzes and self-assessment tools are available that may help diagnose this condition.

However, an examination and assessment by a medical professional should be conducted before diagnosing this condition. A doctor may run tests to indicate if adverse health effects have occurred due to orthorexia. Someone is likely to be asked about their eating habits, beliefs about healthy eating and their health goals when being assessed for orthorexia.

Orthorexia Facts and Statistics

Orthorexia statisticsare difficult to find as the differentiation between healthy eating and orthorexia is sometimes unclear. Another obstacle in identifying specific statistics is the lack of universal diagnostic criteria. While someorthorexia researchreportsincidence ratesas high as 90 percent of the population, others which more stringently define orthorexia, report rates of one percent or less of the population.

Some importantorthorexia nervosa factsto be aware of include:

• Obsessive-compulsive traits such as perfectionism weremore commonin people who developed eating disorders than in those who did not
• Approximately97 percentof people hospitalized for an eating disorder were found to have a co-occurring condition
• Among teenagers, those who dieted moderately were found to befive timesmore likely to develop an eating disorder. Those who dieted to the extreme were 18 times more likely to face eating disorders.
• One-thirdof girls report dieting regardless of whether they are overweight

Orthorexia and Co-Occurring Disorders

Without concrete facts and statistics regarding orthorexia, it can be challenging to pinpoint common co-occurring disorders accurately.Orthorexia and exercise addictionmay co-occur as both are initially healthy behaviors that become unhealthy when taken to an extreme. People with orthorexia may also be more likely toengage in substance usewhen they believe that certain substances may assist in meeting self-imposed health rules.

Treatment for Orthorexia

Orthorexia treatmentmay be delayed due to failure to diagnose the problem. After overcoming this hurdle associated withorthorexia recovery, treatment should include amultidisciplinary teamthat can address physical andmental healthwhile implementing new, healthy beliefs about food. Seeking advice from medical professionals is advisable as physical consequences of orthorexia may not be visible.Overcoming orthorexiarequires a person to unlearn false beliefs about health and nutrition while embracing valid nutritional information.

If you ora loved onehas a drug or alcohol addiction and a co-occurring orthorexia issue,reach outto a representative at The Recovery Village today. The Recovery Village has treatmentfacilities across the countryfor substance use andco-occurring disorders. Call today and take the first step toward a lifetime of healing.