Orthorexia Nervosa: Is Eating Healthy A Mental Illness?

Vivian Goldschmidt, MA Lifestyle Nutrition

Evidence-Based
6 min Read

Orthorexia nervosa is a term coined in 1997 by a physician named Steven Bratman. He created the word to describe a pattern of behavior in which a person becomes so fixated upon eating a particular diet that their obsession overtakes their ability to lead a healthy life.

The proposed mental health issue hasn't been accepted by the American Psychiatric Association as a diagnosable condition, but that hasn't stopped many mental health professionals from considering it as a possibility. A lack of understanding (and a lack of high-quality studies) of this proposed condition has created a great deal of confusion and misinformation.

Today we'll look at orthorexia nervosa (ON), how it's defined, how it has been both attacked and defended. We'll also uncover whether this newly invented mental health condition is anything Savers should worry about.

A History Of Orthorexia Nervosa

“Ortho” is a Greek word meaning “correct” and the Greek word “orexis” means appetite so “orthorexia” literally means “correct appetite.” However, the meaning in English is closer to “correct diet.” Of course, there isn't anything wrong with eating a diet that's right for you, which is where “nervosa” comes in. Nervosa indicates that there is a mental instability or problem relating to maintaining a “correct diet.”

Dr. Steven Bratman chose the name to describe certain of his patients whose health was suffering because of an eating disorder. But instead of a fixation on thinness, as is typically the case with the well-established condition anorexia nervosa, disordered eating typical of orthorexia results from an obsession with consuming only foods that the patient perceives as healthy or “pure.”

The response to eating an “impure” food is also a telltale sign. Someone suffering from ON who eats a food they consider impure might often spiral into a panic attack and experience feelings of self-loathing and shame.

It's important to note that the patient's perception or understanding of the food is the criteria- regardless of whether or not they are correct.1

Orthorexia nervosa (ON) has yet to be included in the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) because of a deficit of studies that conclusively demonstrate what constitutes the condition and how to diagnose it. Some psychologists expect that after further research is conducted it will be added, and some researchers advocate for its inclusion.2

This push for inclusion is another example of the Medical Establishment’s attempt to malign nutritional decisions made to improve health. Granted, for some people, the pursuit of “eating healthy” may become an obsession that overtakes their ability to live a normal life. But it's important to assert that avoiding unhealthy foods is a good habit, unless it takes over a person’s life.

Synopsis

Orthorexia nervosa is a proposed psychological condition that occurs when someone becomes so fixated on eating only foods that they perceive as “pure” or healthy that, ironically, their health suffers. If it is officially recognized, the Medical Establishment may use it to further discourage the use of nutrition for improving health.

Reactions To Orthorexia Nervosa

Orthorexia nervosa may sound to some like a rebuttal of “eating healthy.” If presented dishonestly, it can be used to support the attempts of Big Pharma and the Medical Establishment to discredit the scientists who have established that choosing a nutritionally balanced and varied diet is an effective way to improve health.3 Indeed, studies have found that healthy eating or “clean dieting” now carries a social stigma related to ON.4

But any such equation of healthy eating with mental illness is wrong and potentially harmful. We know for a fact that what we eat has a direct impact on our body, including our bones.3

Orthorexia nervosa doesn't describe or implicate any health or dietary choice– be it alternative or conventional. It addresses a mental illness that manifests in a harmful obsession with dietary choices.

Synopsis

ON is not the attempt to follow a healthy diet or avoid unhealthy foods, rather it describes an eating disorder that negatively impacts physical and emotional well-being.

The Osteoporosis Reversal Program Fights Orthorexia Nervosa

Whether or not ON is accepted by the Medical Establishment means nothing for the longstanding science that underlies the guidelines in the Osteoporosis Reversal Program (ORP).

In fact, for someone predisposed to developing obsessive eating behaviors, the ORP is well suited to establishing and maintaining healthy habits. This comparison chart illustrates how the ORP supports healthy choices:

Orthorexia Nervosa:

[list class=”xlist”]

  • Typified by extreme dietary restriction in which entire food groups are considered “impure” and eating them feels morally wrong.

[/list]

The Osteoporosis Reversal Program (ORP):

  • Advises moderation and restriction based on quantities to maintain an 80/20 pH balance, instead of rigid elimination.

Orthorexia Nervosa:

[list class=”xlist”]

  • Forsaking other areas of health in favor of meeting dietary requirements.

[/list]

The Osteoporosis Reversal Program (ORP):

  • Encourages total wellness and a balance of dietary and lifestyle changes to improve health holistically.

Orthorexia Nervosa:

[list class=”xlist”]

  • Creates feelings of guilt and shame around perceived failure to meet dietary requirements.

[/list]

The Osteoporosis Reversal Program (ORP):

  • Focuses on enjoying food and finding creative ways to eat your favorite dishes using substitution and moderation.

Orthorexia Nervosa:

[list class=”xlist”]

  • Missing out on social life, causing isolation and depression.

[/list]

The Osteoporosis Reversal Program (ORP):

  • The ORP‘s dietary guidelines are easy to follow in a variety of contexts, from office parties to family dinners and holiday events to vacation travel, so you never miss out on the mental health benefits of social engagement and community.

Synopsis

The Osteoporosis Reversal Program provides support to help you change your diet and behaviors in a healthy way.

Stay True On Your Path To Healthy Bones And A Full Life

Scientific research has not been able to decisively demonstrate that orthorexia nervosa exists.

That said, any behavior that decreases your physical or mental health or the ability to live a full and rewarding life is behavior worthy of examination and adjustment.

As you increase your knowledge of nutrition and how to live your healthiest life, let that information help you find joy in the choices you make. Your attention to your well-being and your bone health is both smart and essential, so cultivate it with care and continued learning.

Stop Worrying About Your Bone Loss

Join thousands of Savers from around the world who have reversed or prevented their bone loss naturally and scientifically with the Osteoporosis Reversal Program.

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References

1 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4340368/

2 https://www.jwatch.org/na47965/2018/11/30/orthorexia-nervosa-new-concern

3 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23305630

4 https://jeatdisord.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40337-017-0168-9