New Eating Disorder, Orthorexia Nervosa, Is On The Rise

[Karl 3,575]

Is this like those Instagram accounts that are totally obsessed with checking packing for seed oils and stuff? Makes sense it's an eating disorder it's clearly going further than just trying to eat healthy.

[CautiousLurker 19,709]

1 hour ago, Bronco said:

Eating only 1 specific kind of food on repeatfor 365 days a year because of a focus on macro content for health over enjoyment of food is literally part of what the experts are talking about with orthorexia. 

 

A person with orthorexia may experience:

Strong anxiety about their food choices, particularly around their diet not meeting their personal high standards of ‘purity’

Social isolation as a person withdraws from activities and people who do not align with their strict dietary regime

Feelings of guilt following ‘slip-ups’

Heightened self-esteem when eating foods that are ‘healthy’

Mood swings, anxiety and depression

https://eatingdisorders.org.au/eating-disorders-a-z/orthorexia/#:~:text=Orthorexia is a term that,food to an excessive degree.

So yeah - structuring meals to focus entirely on macronutritional content to the exclusion of all other factors is disordered eating and a symptom of orthorexia. It absolutely does come with negative mental effects. 

 

Again, someone's eating habits in and of themselves do not mean they have an eating disorder. Focusing on macro contents doesn't inherently mean one will experience strong anxiety over their food choices, withdraw from ativities and people, or will be burdened with feelings of guilt. You also can't make a judgement as to what someone's eating habits are based on their appearance/the way they interact with you - unless you're all-seeing, you don't how, what and when someone eats, and you definitely don't know what impact it has on them.

Idk about Australia, but in the UK, you need to have several symptoms to qualify for an ED diagnosis (it's more of a point based system, and you need to corss a certain threshold which I think is 16 points out of 30, nonetheless a clinic will probably turn you down for ED treatment if you're only exhibiting one potential symptom).

So no, structuring meals to focus on macronutritonal conent to the exclusion of other factors does not in an of itself mean someone's eating is disordered, as well someone having disordered eating does not mean they have an eating disorder - those are two different things. 

 

Personally I find when people make these kinds of comments it's out of disdain or spite more than anything, it's definitely not out of care for people with eating disorders. No person ever looked at a fat person eating and said 'they absolutely have an eating disorder' out of care - same applies here.

 

[Bronco 24,764]

11 minutes ago, CautiousLurker said:

Again, someone's eating habits in and of themselves do not mean they have an eating disorder. Focusing on macro contents doesn't inherently mean one will experience strong anxiety over their food choices, withdraw from ativities and people, or will be burdened with feelings of guilt. You also can't make a judgement as to what someone's eating habits are based on their appearance/the way they interact with you - unless you're all-seeing, you don't how, what and when someone eats, and you definitely don't know what impact it has on them.

Idk about Australia, but in the UK, you need to have several symptoms to qualify for an ED diagnosis (it's more of a point based system, and you need to corss a certain threshold which I think is 16 points out of 30, nonetheless a clinic will probably turn you down for ED treatment if you're only exhibiting one potential symptom).

So no, structuring meals to focus on macronutritonal conent to the exclusion of other factors does not in an of itself mean someone's eating is disordered, as well someone having disordered eating does not mean they have an eating disorder - those are two different things. 

 

Personally I find when people make these kinds of comments it's out of disdain or spite more than anything, it's definitely not out of care for people with eating disorders. No person ever looked at a fat person eating and said 'they absolutely have an eating disorder' out of care - same applies here.

 

I make these comments because I exist in the very world I am critical of.

I go to the gym 2/3 times a week, I track my meals and diet etc.

And in the years I've been doing this - I have repeatedly had first hand experience of health obsessives in the fitness community. 

I've repeatedly had PTs promote eating disorder behaviours as "health hacks".

I've seen 16 year olds that aren't even heavy when soaked through pinching their skin and complaining about their body fat %. 

Honestly, you're clearly talking from a position where you think there is nothing wrong with grown men literally bullying themselves over their eating habits to chase an unachievable body standard. Something that is a significant part of gay culture as well, not just hetero male gym behaviours. 

You either have never been around people with orthorexia and been within the culture that promotes it as a healthy standard (it is demonstratably not) or you are and you're fighting because people are calling it out. 

 

[Bronco 24,764]

@CautiousLurker the OP cites a registered professional with a PhD.

I've cited professional sources.

At this point - if you disagree, present your academic peer reviewed and supported research.

[CautiousLurker 19,709]

7 minutes ago, Bronco said:

@CautiousLurker the OP cites a registered professional with a PhD.

I've cited professional sources.

At this point - if you disagree, present your academic peer reviewed and supported research.

https://www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk/get-information-and-support/about-eating-disorders/types/other-eating-feeding-problems/orthorexia/

''Orthorexia refers to an unhealthy obsession with eating “pure” food. Food considered “pure” or “impure” can vary from person to person. This doesn’t mean that anyone who subscribes to a healthy eating plan or diet is suffering from orthorexia. As with other eating disorders, the eating behaviour involved – “healthy” or “clean” eating in this case – is used to cope with negative thoughts and feelings, or to feel in control. Someone using food in this way might feel extremely anxious or guilty if they eat food they feel is unhealthy.''

Beats is a non profit support service for people with EDs in the UK that acts more as support prior and after treatment. 

For my reference on EDs you're welcome to look up Christopher Fairburn's 'Overcoming Bingeating' (2nd edition) that does also cover other eating disorders - it is the foundation for treatment that I underwent for my eating disorder, and the text that I base my understanding of EDs on. As well, my case was overseen by an accreddited clinical psychologist. Both stressed loss of control as an important identifier of someone suffering from an ED, which tracking macros does not necessarily entail. 

I'm talking from a position of someone who had to meticulously unpack his eating disorder and understand how and why external factors (such as other f*cking people not knowing when to mind their f*cking business) affected me in the way that it did. 

That's the position I'm coming from. 

 

I recall you making these kinds of remarks before - this is not the first time you chimed in to call gymbros mentally unwell for the fact, and 1) I really don't buy that it's out of genuine concern, you really don't sound that concerned in your first message, judgemental more so, and 2) you don't understand how what you say is a part of larger attitudes that can be geninely devestating to someone with an ED who is perhaps autistic, or has adhd, or audhd (hello), or ocd - the latter I do admittedly base on my personal experience with an ED.

Incredible that you went on that screed because I said you should leave ED diagnoses to the professionals, well done.

[Sneaky Oliver 22,972]

I kinda relate to this, I don’t eat just healthy food but I do feel guilty when I eat “non-healthy” food and deep down I wish I would eat healthier 

[zevthepaparazzo 2,425]

@Bronco @CautiousLurker

FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT! 

[CautiousLurker 19,709]

39 minutes ago, zevthepaparazzo said:

@Bronco @CautiousLurker

FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT! 

Not surprised you'd have a gross attitude like this tbh

[Bronco 24,764]

2 hours ago, CautiousLurker said:

I recall you making these kinds of remarks before - this is not the first time you chimed in to call gymbros mentally unwell for the fact,

Lol what?

I'd love to see what you're claiming this for.

I'm a sportsman, most of my friends are gym bros. I've been training with a PT for 2 years. I do multiple combat sports for fitness with her boyfriend. 

I love gym bros, my dating history is littered with gym bros. 

I explicitly criticise the fitness "lifestyle" presented to us by social media. Because through my own gym life, my sports life and my work I see the negative behaviours being promoted by the fitness industry and I know the damage it causes and the amount of misinformation that floods through gym communities. 

Like I've struggled with EDs since I was a teenager. I'm not just making **** up for the fun of it - I've lived and breathed all the issues I'm talking about. 

And the only person here trying to play expert is you - the person arguing with professional sources and lived experience and being nasty about it.

[Ladle Ghoulash 52,467]

4 hours ago, CautiousLurker said:

Again, someone's eating habits in and of themselves do not mean they have an eating disorder. Focusing on macro contents doesn't inherently mean one will experience strong anxiety over their food choices, withdraw from ativities and people, or will be burdened with feelings of guilt. You also can't make a judgement as to what someone's eating habits are based on their appearance/the way they interact with you - unless you're all-seeing, you don't how, what and when someone eats, and you definitely don't know what impact it has on them.

Idk about Australia, but in the UK, you need to have several symptoms to qualify for an ED diagnosis (it's more of a point based system, and you need to corss a certain threshold which I think is 16 points out of 30, nonetheless a clinic will probably turn you down for ED treatment if you're only exhibiting one potential symptom).

So no, structuring meals to focus on macronutritonal conent to the exclusion of other factors does not in an of itself mean someone's eating is disordered, as well someone having disordered eating does not mean they have an eating disorder - those are two different things. 

 

Personally I find when people make these kinds of comments it's out of disdain or spite more than anything, it's definitely not out of care for people with eating disorders. No person ever looked at a fat person eating and said 'they absolutely have an eating disorder' out of care - same applies here.

 

Anything has the potential to become “disordered” behavior once it reaches the point that it becomes harmful (psychologically or otherwise) to the individual and just because the fixation is “healthy” doesn’t change the fact that it can become disruptive/harmful to the individual. Also the comment about no one ever looking at a fat person and saying they have an eating disorder is pretty flatly absurd because, yes, people do say that and, in some cases, they’d be correct!

Edited December 17, 2025 by Ladle Ghoulash

[Juanjo 2,284]

I have issues with this. I don’t think obsessing over having a BALANCED, organic, healthy diet should be seen as something negative. Are they really equating eating healthy with not eating nutritiously? 

[River 127,314]

15 hours ago, Bronco said:

Honestly, no.

I've been around gyms long enough to recognise this is a legitimate issue.

Men who's only meal is plain boiled chicken and rice with boiled veg is absolutely an eating disorder. 

Women going on "cleanses" which are just repackaged bulimia behaviours. 

Its a legitimate thing. My PT has a coworker who refuses to season food because "enjoying food ruins gym progress".

 

and the way they obsessively pushing others to do the same, most of the time in a "positive" body shaming.

Like this obsession with 10% body fat, abs and all that and make others feel sh-t that they are with 15-25% body fat after years at the gym.

And u clearly see how tired and weak they are.

It's so unhealthy and these "gurus" are messing up the health of other people..

[Economy 52,837]

18 hours ago, NemoMyName said:

Why always women have to be the face of eating disorder? Have anybody see how ****ed up gym bros are? some **** is straight eating disorder but it's never talked about.

This is one of those rare things that actually manage to be mysogynistic and philogynistic at the exact same time because it basically sterotypes that women are emotionally frail and the ones that need help, but at the same time is harmful against men as mens body image issues or eating disorder issues are ignored as not real or not relevant or dont matter because historically men havent been as pressured to look a certain way as much as women (although thats a half truth at best especially the last few decades where standards on things such as muscle mass have become quite tough to achieve for men who arent very lucky with genetics).

[CautiousLurker 19,709]

18 hours ago, Bronco said:

Lol what?

I'd love to see what you're claiming this for.

I'm a sportsman, most of my friends are gym bros. I've been training with a PT for 2 years. I do multiple combat sports for fitness with her boyfriend. 

I love gym bros, my dating history is littered with gym bros. 

I explicitly criticise the fitness "lifestyle" presented to us by social media. Because through my own gym life, my sports life and my work I see the negative behaviours being promoted by the fitness industry and I know the damage it causes and the amount of misinformation that floods through gym communities. 

Like I've struggled with EDs since I was a teenager. I'm not just making **** up for the fun of it - I've lived and breathed all the issues I'm talking about. 

And the only person here trying to play expert is you - the person arguing with professional sources and lived experience and being nasty about it.

I'm not going through your entire post history to pinpoint when you've made similar comments, but to my memory you have, I'll be sure to highlight them next time as I'm sure you'll make em again at some point.

Also all I did is point out you're generalizing to a ridiculous degree, and you went off on me and put a bunch of words in my mouth that I never said. Never played expert, all I did is link the sources I get my information on EDs from. Likewise I never discounted your experiences, all I said is that if someone is strict about their dieting it isn't ALWAYS due to a mental illness. 

Also you're yet to adress my actuall points, your points are all 'I lived this' and 'you're nasty' - the feeling's mutual.

[CautiousLurker 19,709]

19 hours ago, Ladle Ghoulash said:

Anything has the potential to become “disordered” behavior once it reaches the point that it becomes harmful (psychologically or otherwise) to the individual and just because the fixation is “healthy” doesn’t change the fact that it can become disruptive/harmful to the individual. Also the comment about no one ever looking at a fat person and saying they have an eating disorder is pretty flatly absurd because, yes, people do say that and, in some cases, they’d be correct!

I never said anything that disagrees with this - obviously a person fixating on healthy eating might be doing so because of an eating disorder. My point was it isn't ALWAYS the case, and there are other factors that would make the diagnosis.

Likewise my point regarding the fat person receiving those comments is that few people would make them out of care, not whether they are correct or not. In my experience when people make those kinds of comments (especially strangers), it's because they feel a certain type of way about that person's body - they're not genuinely concerned for them nor iterested in finding out if even that person needs or would like help.

I've been on both ends of the spectrum - in my 20s I was very fit, and now in my 30s I've spent most of those years overwheight - in both instances I've cought people out expressing their destain for my body by coating it in concerned language so many times (more so now that I'm fat, granted), and I guess... I'd like there to be less of it? Neuroatypical people have a higher chance of developing EDs - for me personally, having a hyperactive brain, comments tend to seep in and latch onto my mind in a way that takes a lot of work to shake off.

Having an ED is very isolating, but that is not solely on the person affected, and for me I know my adolescence and early adulthood would be so much easier if people just didn't say anything about my body or what or how I eat.

Edited December 18, 2025 by CautiousLurker