Orthorexia – when healthy eating becomes an obsession

Many of us nowadays deal extensively with the topic of nutrition . food is consumed in an attempt to optimize physical performance health . to influence or to get the body into a desired shape or to maintain it in a certain form.

It is completely normal for different people with the most diverse diets to come together at a table and exchange why they cannot or do not want to eat this or that.

A conscious diet is generally advocated - and this is probably one of the main reasons why orthorexia can develop insidiously and is only perceived very late by the environment of an affected person.

Eating disorders such as anorexia or bulimia are considered the most well-known diseases in society in connection with compulsive eating. It is different with orthorexia, which has not yet been officially recognized as an independent clinical picture, for which there are accordingly no explicit diagnostic criteria yet. So what is orthorexia, known in professional circles as orthorexia nervosa?

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Whole food groups like fruits can be excluded due to supposedly harmful ingredients.

What is orthorexia?

The term stands for a compulsive eating behavior in which those affected are so fixated on eating healthily that they believe that even the one-time consumption of a food that they consider unhealthy can make them ill.

It consists of the words orthos (correct) and orexis (appetite). The crucial difference from anorexia and bulimia is mainly that in this case the quality of the food, not the quantity, is the focus.

What are the causes of orthorexia?

Orthorexia usually has deeper psychological causes. Often people suffer from orthorexia who have experienced trauma, conflicts in the family environment, bullying, or exceptionally high performance pressure. Behind this is usually the great need for control, as previous experiences have led to a feeling of loss of control.

What are the symptoms of orthorexia?

Orthorexia is characterized primarily by the compulsive, excessive preoccupation with and massive regulation of food. The fixation on foods considered healthy is shown, for example, in the intense engagement with nutritional tables, the hours spent checking ingredients, and the continuous exclusion of more and more foods or even whole food groups.

For the foods considered sufficiently healthy, there is also an additional attempt to consume them exclusively in the best possible quality, which can lead to certain foods being purchased only from selected countries of origin, for example.

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Some affected individuals import millet directly from Africa.

How can orthorexia be diagnosed?

Due to the lack of recognition as an official disease, there are currently no official diagnostic criteria that can clearly identify orthorexia in those affected.

What are the consequences of orthorexia?

Typically, orthorexia primarily leads to malnutrition and often associated weight loss. Many affected individuals also seek medical advice for sleep problems , decreased performance, and lack of motivation. Similar to anorexia and bulimia, social isolation often plays a major role, as affected individuals either isolate themselves or experience rejection due to their constant attempts to convert those around them.

Is there a treatment for orthorexia?

Since it is not an officially recognized medical condition, there is no classical form of therapy for orthorexia in this sense. Affected individuals need to learn to restore a normal relationship with food similar to a recognized eating disorder. In cases with significant associated weight loss, psychotherapeutic treatment is recommended.