Orthorexia Nervosa Is Becoming More Common (And That's An Issue)

[RAMROD 117,093]

 

Between fad diets, the protein-ification of nearly everything and new wearable technology that tracks all kinds of biometrics, it’s easy to get swept up in the health-obsession craze.

Plus, with all of the information online and on social media, it can be hard to know what you need and don’t need when it comes to your health, especially nutrition. There are videos all over social media in which people refer to certain foods as “bad” or containing “fake ingredients,” which only fuel a societal infatuation with “eating healthy.”

While there is nothing wrong with eating a healthy diet — it’s a great way to bolster your well-being — there is a line that healthy eating can cross. Too much of a focus on it can turn into something known as orthorexia, a condition that’s becoming more common in society, and some research says that’s in large part because of pressure from social media.

You won’t find orthorexia in the DSM-5, which is the official handbook for mental health diagnoses, but two dietitians told HuffPost they expect it to become an official diagnosis eventually.

“It’s subclinical disordered eating, so it’s not something that has a clinical diagnosis code, but it’s widely recognized in the disordered eating community,” said Beth Auguste, a maternal wellness dietitian in Philadelphia.

″[Orthorexia] can be generally categorized as a preoccupation with healthy eating and a fixation on the purity of food,” added Auguste.

“It’s an obsession with what someone perceives as the proper way of eating, or the healthy way of eating,” added Beth Heise, a registered dietitian with OnPoint Nutrition.

Since lots of people enjoy eating healthy foods or do so to keep certain health markers like cholesterol and blood sugar in control, it can be hard to know what is just a healthy diet and what is dangerous.

With support from either a dietitian or mental health professional, you can determine whether your healthy eating is simply that — or something more. 

“It’s really important to talk to somebody like a dietitian who specializes in disordered eating, a therapist who specializes in it, who can help you figure out [if this is a problem for you],” Auguste said. 

Dietitians generally take insurance, noted Auguste, and they can help you make sure you’re on the right track with your eating, whether or not you have specific concerns.

Healthy eating is a lifelong process and isn’t meant to be perfect.

When it comes to what you eat, your nutrition needs likely differ from your partner’s, your neighbor’s and your favorite social media influencer’s. 

So, don’t put too much stock in social media nutrition trends or what diet a friend is raving about, Heise said.

Instead of obsessing over the latest food trend, focus on realistic goals — “so, not focusing on whether or not a food is clean, but focusing on whether or not you have variety in your meals,” Heise said. “Are you getting a variety of different foods? Are you getting a variety of different nutrients? Because that’s where true nutrition comes in.” 

Auguste said it’s important to let go of all-or-nothing thinking when it comes to eating, which includes rules around following one specific diet or a rigid plan to lose weight. “I have so many patients that do that, and then it’s not sustainable to be 100% all of the time,” Auguste added.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/orthorexia-common-signs_l_68220270e4b01f1185018854/amp
 

 

[MountainMonster 2,716]

I wish I was unhealthily obsessed with being healthy. Instead I’m over here barely getting vegetables and vaping.  

[LG2008 6,309]

And here I am just eating whatever I have available 

[Ilia Malinin 2,880]

well sh*t, looks like a dropped one ED for another 

i'm stuck in a never-ending cycle 

[InsomniaMonster69 3,758]

I suffered for almost 10 years from an eating disorder - it was a mix from anorexia athletica  and bulimia. 

Now reading this and realizing I won the biggest battle of my life makes me proud of myself. 

Am I absolutely happy whit my body? No. But I'm on my way

[Addison Rae 18,095]

i feel attacked…and yeah it’s become a bit of an obsession of mine, everyone i know has a whoop band and i love using it but i notice how high strung ive become with eating healthy and tracking everything  

[27monster27 15,868]

People like Freelee and Nathan Sages are directly responsible for stuff like this. They are contributing to this dangerous diet culture that goes so far as to hurt not just themselves, but countless others.

[misha4ever 2,077]

No, I'm fat.

[garbage day 11,817]

My mom is like this. I had a discussion about it with my therapist about 2 months ago and came to this conclusion. Basically every bullet point listed in addition to buying tons of snake oil "health" products, going from paid diet plan to diet plan, and doing a dozen or so coffee enemas every week. She gives unsolicited health advice in social settings any chance she can.

Lately she's become convinced that everyone has toxic intestinal worms. Lovely dinner conversation.

[Pigatha 1,336]

Does this have an unhealthy equivalent? I can't eat a vegetable or healthy food without wanting to puke, I survive on pizza, chicken tenders and pringles and I feel like I'm actually dying, I'm only 24 but I csn tell I don't have much more time on this planet lol also can't drink water (flavored included) without wanting to vomit lol 

[Lord Mayhem 3,430]

Umm...so living in America where all of our food is poisoned and full of **** that makes us sick, fat, lethargic, tired, die, get cancer, break out in rashes, etc is normal???

I always have tried to eat healthy since i was a child...i loved vegetables and salads but now that im older i take especially good care to look at labels and even use an app called Yuka to quickly identify harmful products i should avoid. 

I'll not apologize for taking care of my body or what I put in it...I don't judge others choices but this is a bit silly to label people who otherwise just want to be cautious and eat healthy...

[Rat Boy 43,832]

1 hour ago, Lord Mayhem said:

Umm...so living in America where all of our food is poisoned and full of **** that makes us sick, fat, lethargic, tired, die, get cancer, break out in rashes, etc is normal???

I always have tried to eat healthy since i was a child...i loved vegetables and salads but now that im older i take especially good care to look at labels and even use an app called Yuka to quickly identify harmful products i should avoid. 

I'll not apologize for taking care of my body or what I put in it...I don't judge others choices but this is a bit silly to label people who otherwise just want to be cautious and eat healthy...

I think it’s referring to people who become obsessed with their health to the point it severely impacts their life (e.g. becoming overly stressed/overwhelmed about eating anything ‘unhealthy’). 

[Bobina 3,284]

I just ate mcdonalds for dinner two days in a row. So def not 

[Karl 3,575]

Yeah I saw some video on insta of some random woman saying rapeseed oil is the devil's work and not to eat anything with it in. My 89 year old grandma sat here eating whatever she wants and hasn't ever had a medical issue, I'm 33 never been to the hospital and I eat what I want. It's just a way for charlatan influencers to make money imo, never had this before the internet when we got our information from books. 

[CautiousLurker 19,709]

Me and my binge eating can't relate