Orthorexia

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gabrielleelliott90
gabrielleelliott90 Posts: 854 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
What is your opinion?
«1

Replies

  • lishie_rebooted
    lishie_rebooted Posts: 2,973 Member
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    As in, is it real?
    Should it be part of the DSM?
  • girlviernes
    girlviernes Posts: 2,402 Member
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    Most of us won't have that problem. But if your healthy eating rules become so obsessive and excessive that they take over your thinking and behavior then it's a big problem worthy of taking seriously and getting help.
  • jkal1979
    jkal1979 Posts: 1,896 Member
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    I'm just going to sit here and wait for the OP to come back with clarification.

    What part about it are you looking to get opinions on?
  • efrensgirl2015
    efrensgirl2015 Posts: 480 Member
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    ...have no idea even what that is..,,.
  • JPW1990
    JPW1990 Posts: 2,424 Member
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    My opinion is (some) people like to project it onto anyone who eats differently than they do. Wonder if this will go any better than the last time.
  • LBuehrle8
    LBuehrle8 Posts: 4,044 Member
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    Can someone please explain what that means?
  • girlviernes
    girlviernes Posts: 2,402 Member
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    Orthorexia is when someone becomes very caught up in healthy eating to the point where it actually is harmful to them (for example, cut out so many foods that they can't get enough nutrition or spend hours of the day agonizing over food choices to the detriment of other parts of life like work, family, etc.)
  • MindySaysWhaaat
    MindySaysWhaaat Posts: 401 Member
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    My opinion is that it's a bad thing. I was extremely restrictive, and instead of helping my diets in the past, it caused me to start binge eating. Every time I would lose weight, I'd gain it all back, and then I'd gain even more. It did not surprise me when I fell off the wagon two years ago after losing 40 pounds and getting down to 210lbs, that within a year and a half I was at 270lbs.

    I decided this time that I was going to work on how I feel about food. I'm not restricting anything from my diet. If I want fast food, or if I want pizza, or chocolate etc, I'm learning how to fit it into my day in a way that works. I'm getting better at moderation. I went on a vacation last week, and I took a few days off my diet. Before, I would never have been able to start back up again. This time I went back to business as usual. I think it's due to my attitude change.
  • rosebette
    rosebette Posts: 1,660 Member
    edited March 2015
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    It means that someone restricts certain foods so much that they are barely eating anything, basically starving. This has become common when people start saying, "I won't eat gluten, dairy, animal products, carbs, anything processed, anything nonorganic, anything not grown locally....blah, blah, blah." At some point, there's very little left that the person can eat.
  • PeachyCarol
    PeachyCarol Posts: 8,029 Member
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    From the National Eating Disorders Website:
    Orthorexia nervosa is not currently recognized as a clinical diagnosis in the DSM-5, but many people struggle with symptoms associated with this term.
    Those who have an “unhealthy obsession” with otherwise healthy eating may be suffering from “orthorexia nervosa,” a term which literally means “fixation on righteous eating.” Orthorexia starts out as an innocent attempt to eat more healthfully, but orthorexics become fixated on food quality and purity. They become consumed with what and how much to eat, and how to deal with “slip-ups.” An iron-clad will is needed to maintain this rigid eating style. Every day is a chance to eat right, be “good,” rise above others in dietary prowess, and self-punish if temptation wins (usually through stricter eating, fasts and exercise). Self-esteem becomes wrapped up in the purity of orthorexics’ diet and they sometimes feel superior to others, especially in regard to food intake.
    Eventually food choices become so restrictive, in both variety and calories, that health suffers – an ironic twist for a person so completely dedicated to healthy eating. Eventually, the obsession with healthy eating can crowd out other activities and interests, impair relationships, and become physically dangerous.

    I'll wait for the OP to come back and clarify which aspect of this she wanted us to comment on.
  • pollypocket1021
    pollypocket1021 Posts: 533 Member
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    "Unhealthy relationship with food"

    Let's just go with that and ditch the fancy names.
  • desdiets
    desdiets Posts: 4
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    MindySaysWhaaat wrote: »
    My opinion is that it's a bad thing. I was extremely restrictive, and instead of helping my diets in the past, it caused me to start binge eating. Every time I would lose weight, I'd gain it all back, and then I'd gain even more. It did not surprise me when I fell off the wagon two years ago after losing 40 pounds and getting down to 210lbs, that within a year and a half I was at 270lbs.

    I decided this time that I was going to work on how I feel about food. I'm not restricting anything from my diet. If I want fast food, or if I want pizza, or chocolate etc, I'm learning how to fit it into my day in a way that works. I'm getting better at moderation. I went on a vacation last week, and I took a few days off my diet. Before, I would never have been able to start back up again. This time I went back to business as usual. I think it's due to my attitude change.


    changing your attitude and view on food helps so SO much. i'm just learning this myself, and i'm loving the ability i now have to bounce back after a bad day!

    also, orthorexia should definitely be treated as a form of OCD/mental disorder. it's an unhealthy extreme that can potentially be just as detrimental as binge eating and probably increases the risk of developing bulimia and/or anorexia
  • LBuehrle8
    LBuehrle8 Posts: 4,044 Member
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    girlviernes wrote: »
    Orthorexia is when someone becomes very caught up in healthy eating to the point where it actually is harmful to them (for example, cut out so many foods that they can't get enough nutrition or spend hours of the day agonizing over food choices to the detriment of other parts of life like work, family, etc.)


    Thanks for explaining!
  • Orphia
    Orphia Posts: 7,097 Member
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    I just read an article about Orthorexia, so I thought I'd add the link here.

    http://www.foodinsight.org/orthorexia-disordered-eating
  • star1407
    star1407 Posts: 588 Member
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    I needed clarification too !! Regardless of fancy labels, I think any obsession that starts to interfere with normal day to day life, work and family commitments, is unhealthy. Whether it be food, exercise, handbags whatever lol
    Balance is always the key
  • NoIdea101NoIdea
    NoIdea101NoIdea Posts: 659 Member
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    pollypocket1021 wrote: »
    "Unhealthy relationship with food"

    Let's just go with that and ditch the fancy names.

    That's very much what it sounds like to me. So my opinion is it is bad (if that is what we are looking for clarification on?).
  • Orphia
    Orphia Posts: 7,097 Member
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    Very true, star1407.

    So far, from what I've seen in the MFP community, the general trend is to steer orthorexics towards a balanced approach.
  • MonsoonStorm
    MonsoonStorm Posts: 371 Member
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    girlviernes wrote: »
    Orthorexia is when someone becomes very caught up in healthy eating to the point where it actually is harmful to them (for example, cut out so many foods that they can't get enough nutrition or spend hours of the day agonizing over food choices to the detriment of other parts of life like work, family, etc.)
    desdiets wrote: »
    MindySaysWhaaat wrote: »
    My opinion is that it's a bad thing. I was extremely restrictive, and instead of helping my diets in the past, it caused me to start binge eating. Every time I would lose weight, I'd gain it all back, and then I'd gain even more. It did not surprise me when I fell off the wagon two years ago after losing 40 pounds and getting down to 210lbs, that within a year and a half I was at 270lbs.

    I decided this time that I was going to work on how I feel about food. I'm not restricting anything from my diet. If I want fast food, or if I want pizza, or chocolate etc, I'm learning how to fit it into my day in a way that works. I'm getting better at moderation. I went on a vacation last week, and I took a few days off my diet. Before, I would never have been able to start back up again. This time I went back to business as usual. I think it's due to my attitude change.


    changing your attitude and view on food helps so SO much. i'm just learning this myself, and i'm loving the ability i now have to bounce back after a bad day!

    also, orthorexia should definitely be treated as a form of OCD/mental disorder. it's an unhealthy extreme that can potentially be just as detrimental as binge eating and probably increases the risk of developing bulimia and/or anorexia

    And where do we stop?

    How about labeling all of those CEO's of multinational companies who spend 18 hrs a day at work? It interferes with their family life and negatively affects their children and their ability to live a healthy balanced lifestyle, wouldn't you say? Their obsession with making money is borderline obsessive, no?

    Enough with the damn labels, it's becoming absolutely ridiculous. The DSM needs burned.
  • Orphia
    Orphia Posts: 7,097 Member
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    I agree that the DSM needs to be burned. They can get rid of D.I.D. for a start.

    But Orthorexia is actually a useful umbrella term for lots of different problems. I'm seeing it used more and more. You may just have to get used to it.
  • BodyByBex
    BodyByBex Posts: 3,685 Member
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    gabrielleelliott90 wrote: »
    What is your opinion?

    My opinion, that has formed from many of your previous posts, is that you have it (orthorexia) and should find a doctor and seek help.

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