Guys, stop with the orthorexia already!

SnuggleSmacks

This interesting article discusses the growing epidemic of orthorexia, an obsession with the virtue of your food, rather than how much or little you eat. This can be obsessive thinking about gluten-free, clean, low-fat, local, juice-fasting, cleansing, or any other healthiest-diet-flavor-of-the-month.

It is often characterized by a fixation on foods that are "unhealthy." Like the guy who mentions evil Twinkies in every post.

Do you guys feel that there has been an increase in such things in the forum, beyond the normal New Years flap?

Codilee87

Paleo and gluten-free seem to being getting out of hand. Fructose-free is just plain stupid - seriously, you're NEVER going to eat fruit again?

queenliz99

It's like putting out fire on a windy day. It's everywhere.

Bukeelaka

Yes! I also noticed this amongst my IRL friends and sometimes overhear people in public chatting (or what seems like bragging) about their "awesome new way of eating that everyone should try". This is usually followed by a comment about GMO's, the evil food industry and how the unenlightened are "sheeple".

benjaminhk

I am definitely sick of everything getting slapped with "gluten free" labels now. Very few people have a gluten intolerance anyway. But I can't help but laugh when I see a carbonated energy drink labeled "gluten free". It's basically just the "low fat!" / "no carbs!" of this decade.

Sharon_C

YES! And it's becoming mainstream. People on my FB page keep lecturing about the "right" way to eat. Ugh.

Bukeelaka

Ugh, do we hang out with the same people? Haha[/quote]

Creepy, isn't it! It's like a hive-mind type thing going on.

gmallan

Diets that eliminate whole food groups for no particular reason (or no medically diagnosed reason) seem to be getting way out of hand. Gluten free does not equal healthy and going vegan/vegetarian/paleo/clean does not guaratee weightloss

SnuggleSmacks

Bukeelaka wrote: »

Yes! I also noticed this amongst my IRL friends and sometimes overhear people in public chatting (or what seems like bragging) about their "awesome new way of eating that everyone should try". This is usually followed by a comment about GMO's, the evil food industry and how the unenlightened are "sheeple".

Every time I read the words "wake up!" or "sheeple" I automatically assume the person who typed them is wearing a tin foil hat.

I get that people read about something new and are convinced by the authoritative-sounding bro science, and they are enthusiastic and want to share that enthusiasm. But all too often lately people seem very militant about these dietary choices, to the point that it seems very cult-ish. Like the whole "sugar is poison" thing, which is obviously stupid. I mean, wake up sheeple.

jennifershoo

Totally agree! I was borderline orthorexic (not sure if it's a word) at one point. I had a meltdown over a non-organic avocado. It's not a way to live.

acmanna

I've never hears anyone use sheeple but sadly my Facebook is filled with people going gluten free, pills, detoxes, cleanses, squat challenges (for weightloss? Sure it might help a bit but it isn't going to melt the fat off f them), and one I saw a few days ago said just don't drink milk, eat bread, orange juice and something else...but I often feel bad for these people because I'm assuming they just don't know that it is all about cals in vs out and/or are desperate.

jenilla1

I honestly don't think that the "orthorexia epidemic" is really something we as a society need to devote too much concern and attention to. There are a lot more important things to attend to than worrying about whether people are becoming too focused on a healthy lifestyle.

Any time I perceive someone as being "militant" about their food or fitness routines, I don't automatically assume that it's a problem just because it's not my thing. I don't even worry about it unless it appears to be causing harm. I think the term orthorexia is thrown around way too lightly. Really, unless you are qualified to diagnose eating disorders, you probably shouldn't be making those kinds of judgments.

I'm sure IT IS a problem when an OCD person (orthorexic or not) gets fixated on anything, but I don't think that orthorexia is some huge, sweeping problem. If anything, our widespread lack of health-consciousness is far more problematic.

By the way, I guess I could be labeled orthorexic by some posters here just by virtue of being gluten free. I have to be focused on avoiding gluten in my diet. But rather than being a harmful thing, my healthy food "obsession" keeps my immune system from going nuts and attacking my digestive tract (Celiac).

I suggest not worrying so much about other people's choices. I think it's totally uncool to label people whose choices or ideas you don't agree with as mentally ill (having an eating disorder.)

tomatoey

Guess what. In order to not be overweight or obese and avoid related risks, you have to be a little weird, at least in our society. It is not exactly psychologically normal to count calories for a lifetime, yet that is what many will have to do to keep it off long-term.

It's an adjustment related to disorder, yes, except it's society that's disordered.

("Our" society = English-speaking countries, like the ones MFP users belong to, and some others.)

tomatoey

herrspoons wrote: »

tomatoey wrote: »

Guess what. In order to not be overweight or obese and avoid related risks, you have to be a little weird, at least in our society. It is not exactly psychologically normal to count calories for a lifetime, yet that is what many will have to do to keep it off long-term.

It's an adjustment related to disorder, yes, except it's society that's disordered.

("Our" society = English-speaking countries, like the ones MFP users belong to, and some others.)

Explain please. Weight control is the obligation of the individual, not society. In addition, if there's a body image Western society promotes, it sure isn't a fat one. Quite the reverse actually.

Percent of adults age 20 years and over who are overweight, including obesity: 69.0% (2011-2012)
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/obesity-overweight.htm

http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hestat/obesity_adult_09_10/obesity_adult_09_10.htm#x2013;1962 Through 2009–2010 </a>

Charts over time, since 1968 - sharpest rise is in obesity, #s overweight mostly steady

There's no way all of them decided, individually, to have too many cheeseburgers. But it's UP to the individual to fix it, yeah. At least it is until food manufacturers have to start facing some appropriate regulation, which I hope happens

tomatoey

this table

http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hestat/obesity_adult_09_10/obesity_adult_09_10.htm#table2

% obese in 1962: 13
% obese in in 2010: 36.1

bonniejo

Try getting your masters in nutrition... I'm surrounded!

tomatoey

herrspoons wrote: »

tomatoey wrote: »

herrspoons wrote: »

tomatoey wrote: »

Guess what. In order to not be overweight or obese and avoid related risks, you have to be a little weird, at least in our society. It is not exactly psychologically normal to count calories for a lifetime, yet that is what many will have to do to keep it off long-term.

It's an adjustment related to disorder, yes, except it's society that's disordered.

("Our" society = English-speaking countries, like the ones MFP users belong to, and some others.)

Explain please. Weight control is the obligation of the individual, not society. In addition, if there's a body image Western society promotes, it sure isn't a fat one. Quite the reverse actually.

Percent of adults age 20 years and over who are overweight, including obesity: 69.0% (2011-2012)
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/obesity-overweight.htm

http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hestat/obesity_adult_09_10/obesity_adult_09_10.htm#x2013;1962 Through 2009–2010 </a>

Charts over time, since 1968 - sharpest rise is in obesity, #s overweight mostly steady

There's no way all of them decided, individually, to have too many cheeseburgers. But it's UP to the individual to fix it, yeah. At least it is until food manufacturers have to start facing some appropriate regulation, which I hope happens

Unfortunately, it was precisely because they all decided to have too many cheeseburgers or pizzas or donuts. The food may have been more available and come in bigger portions, but we still had to eat it.

Also, in the UK it has been a legal requirement for some years now for all packaged food to show calorie and nutritional content clearly on the packaging. It has not made any people any thinner. In fact, obesity rates have risen.

It's not the food manufacturers. It's us. There are some other factors, but those are more to do with the outdated and averaged calorie requirements used, poor advice from health agencies, and falling activity levels.

Bolded is one spin on things, it's a question of emphasis. Ordinary participation in society means working 8-10 hours a day, dealing with long commutes, being tired from all that and so struggling to negotiate food choices when tasty, convenient meals are hard to pass up. It's a lot of work to cook and eat well, it takes knowledge and planning and effort. That's why MFP exists. You can see how hard it is for people.

Only the individual can answer to her or his own body most directly, but there are multiple factors. I think it's good to change some of them if it helps people

What I mean is, yes people are choosing cheeseburgers, but in what context, and why?

tomatoey

herrspoons wrote: »

Also, in the UK it has been a legal requirement for some years now for all packaged food to show calorie and nutritional content clearly on the packaging. It has not made any people any thinner. In fact, obesity rates have risen.

Is that a correlation

amusedmonkey

herrspoons wrote: »

tomatoey wrote: »

herrspoons wrote: »

tomatoey wrote: »

Guess what. In order to not be overweight or obese and avoid related risks, you have to be a little weird, at least in our society. It is not exactly psychologically normal to count calories for a lifetime, yet that is what many will have to do to keep it off long-term.

It's an adjustment related to disorder, yes, except it's society that's disordered.

("Our" society = English-speaking countries, like the ones MFP users belong to, and some others.)

Explain please. Weight control is the obligation of the individual, not society. In addition, if there's a body image Western society promotes, it sure isn't a fat one. Quite the reverse actually.

Percent of adults age 20 years and over who are overweight, including obesity: 69.0% (2011-2012)
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/obesity-overweight.htm

http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hestat/obesity_adult_09_10/obesity_adult_09_10.htm#x2013;1962 Through 2009–2010 </a>

Charts over time, since 1968 - sharpest rise is in obesity, #s overweight mostly steady

There's no way all of them decided, individually, to have too many cheeseburgers. But it's UP to the individual to fix it, yeah. At least it is until food manufacturers have to start facing some appropriate regulation, which I hope happens

Unfortunately, it was precisely because they all decided to have too many cheeseburgers or pizzas or donuts. The food may have been more available and come in bigger portions, but we still had to eat it.

Also, in the UK it has been a legal requirement for some years now for all packaged food to show calorie and nutritional content clearly on the packaging. It has not made any people any thinner. In fact, obesity rates have risen.

It's not the food manufacturers. It's us. There are some other factors, but those are more to do with the outdated and averaged calorie requirements used, poor advice from health agencies, and falling activity levels.

Just to add, I live in a home-cooking culture where people only eat out occasionally (unless you're a college student), yet obesity is rising. I remember as a child everyone walked everywhere unless the trip needed more than an hour of walking. Now everyone has a car, and drives it everywhere.. even if the destination is less than a mile away. I remember noticing this in the 90s, when my parents would drive my sister to school.. the same exact school I used to walk to and from every day (30 minutes of walking in each direction).

I also remember everyone being slightly poorer (or maybe just did not give their kids a big allowance). My daily allowance as a child was enough to only get me a single serving pack of chips, a small 1 oz serving of chocolate, or a 200ml bottle of juice and this was the case for every other kid I knew. We had to chose what we wanted to have that day because we could not have all three. Now the kids are taking allowances that can buy 10 times the sweets we used to be able to have. Literally.

It's really not hard to notice that people are eating more and moving less because modern life is more convenient. Just try to remember your childhood if you were born early 80s or before.

Now you have home delivery, cars are easier to acquire, food is more readily available and generally cheaper in comparison, stores that sell food can be easily accessed... and so on. It's not the manufacturer's fault that people would rather take the easy way then blame it on the manufacturer than take responsibility for what they put in their mouths.

KarenJanine

benjaminhkohl wrote: »

I am definitely sick of everything getting slapped with "gluten free" labels now. Very few people have a gluten intolerance anyway. But I can't help but laugh when I see a carbonated energy drink labeled "gluten free". It's basically just the "low fat!" / "no carbs!" of this decade.

This one really grinds on me. Gluten is a great protein and most people can eat it without problem. Most 'gluten free' products have less protein, more fat and more carbs and quite often more calories.

The BBC were talking about the BAFTA award ceremony this morning and saying how many of the attendees had requested gluten free meals; this is probably entirely unnecessary for the majority of them. Unless there is an usually high incidence of coeliac disease amongst the celebrity population!