Trendy new eating disorder.
Sl1ghtly
Posts: 855 Member
Eating disorder charities are reporting a rise in the number of people suffering from a serious psychological condition characterised by an obsession with healthy eating.
The condition, orthorexia nervosa, affects equal numbers of men and women, but sufferers tend to be aged over 30, middle-class and well-educated.
The condition was namedby a Californian doctor, Steven Bratman, in 1997, and is described as a "fixation on righteous eating". Until a few years ago, there were so few sufferers that doctors usually included them under the catch-all label of "Ednos" – eating disorders not otherwise recognised. Now, experts say, orthorexics take up such a significant proportion of the Ednos group that they should be treated separately.
"I am definitely seeing significantly more orthorexics than just a few years ago," said Ursula Philpot, chair of the British Dietetic Association's mental health group. "Other eating disorders focus on quantityof food but orthorexics can be overweight or look normal. They are solely concerned with the quality of the food they put in their bodies, refining and restricting their dietsaccording to their personal understanding of which foods are truly 'pure'."
Orthorexics commonly have rigid rules around eating. Refusing to touch sugar, salt, caffeine, alcohol,wheat, gluten, yeast, soya, corn and dairy foods is just the start of their diet restrictions. Any foods that have come into contact with pesticides, herbicides or containartificial additives are also out.
The obsession about which foods are "good" and which are "bad" means orthorexics can end up malnourished. Their dietary restrictions commonly cause sufferers to feel proud of their "virtuous" behaviour even if it means that eating becomes so stressful their personal relationships can come under pressure and they become socially isolated.
"The issues underlying orthorexia are often the same as anorexia and the two conditions can overlap but orthorexia is very definitely a distinct disorder," said Philpot. "Those most susceptible are middle-class,well-educated people who read about food scares in the papers, research them on the internet, and have the time and money to source what they believe to be purer alternatives."
Deanne Jade, founder of the National Centre for Eating Disorders, said: "There is a fine line between people who think they are taking care of themselves by manipulating their diet and those who have orthorexia. I see people around me who have no idea they have this disorder. I see it in my practice and I see it among my friends and colleagues."
Jade believes the condition is on the increase because "modern society has lost its way with food". She said: "It's everywhere, from the people who think it's normal if their friendsstop eating entire food groups, to the trainers in the gym who [promote] certain foods to enhance performance, to the proliferation of nutritionists, dieticians and naturopaths [who believe in curing problems through entirely natural methods such as sunlight and massage].
"And just look in the bookshops – all the diets that advise eating according to your blood type or metabolic rate. This is all grist for the mill to those looking for proof to confirm or encourage their anxieties around food."
http://m.guardian.co.uk/society/2009/aug/16/orthorexia-mental-health-eating-disorder?cat=society&type=article
The condition, orthorexia nervosa, affects equal numbers of men and women, but sufferers tend to be aged over 30, middle-class and well-educated.
The condition was namedby a Californian doctor, Steven Bratman, in 1997, and is described as a "fixation on righteous eating". Until a few years ago, there were so few sufferers that doctors usually included them under the catch-all label of "Ednos" – eating disorders not otherwise recognised. Now, experts say, orthorexics take up such a significant proportion of the Ednos group that they should be treated separately.
"I am definitely seeing significantly more orthorexics than just a few years ago," said Ursula Philpot, chair of the British Dietetic Association's mental health group. "Other eating disorders focus on quantityof food but orthorexics can be overweight or look normal. They are solely concerned with the quality of the food they put in their bodies, refining and restricting their dietsaccording to their personal understanding of which foods are truly 'pure'."
Orthorexics commonly have rigid rules around eating. Refusing to touch sugar, salt, caffeine, alcohol,wheat, gluten, yeast, soya, corn and dairy foods is just the start of their diet restrictions. Any foods that have come into contact with pesticides, herbicides or containartificial additives are also out.
The obsession about which foods are "good" and which are "bad" means orthorexics can end up malnourished. Their dietary restrictions commonly cause sufferers to feel proud of their "virtuous" behaviour even if it means that eating becomes so stressful their personal relationships can come under pressure and they become socially isolated.
"The issues underlying orthorexia are often the same as anorexia and the two conditions can overlap but orthorexia is very definitely a distinct disorder," said Philpot. "Those most susceptible are middle-class,well-educated people who read about food scares in the papers, research them on the internet, and have the time and money to source what they believe to be purer alternatives."
Deanne Jade, founder of the National Centre for Eating Disorders, said: "There is a fine line between people who think they are taking care of themselves by manipulating their diet and those who have orthorexia. I see people around me who have no idea they have this disorder. I see it in my practice and I see it among my friends and colleagues."
Jade believes the condition is on the increase because "modern society has lost its way with food". She said: "It's everywhere, from the people who think it's normal if their friendsstop eating entire food groups, to the trainers in the gym who [promote] certain foods to enhance performance, to the proliferation of nutritionists, dieticians and naturopaths [who believe in curing problems through entirely natural methods such as sunlight and massage].
"And just look in the bookshops – all the diets that advise eating according to your blood type or metabolic rate. This is all grist for the mill to those looking for proof to confirm or encourage their anxieties around food."
http://m.guardian.co.uk/society/2009/aug/16/orthorexia-mental-health-eating-disorder?cat=society&type=article
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Replies
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I aspire to be an orthoexic bigorexic. :bigsmile:0
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thank you very much for this article! I was given similar information at the clinic that I went to for eating disorders and obesity. The people they are starting to see coming in for treatment are the ones who are taking "clean eating" to extreme levels. It's just a new obsession that when not done in a healthful way can become detrimental.
I have a colleague who fits this description from this article to a "t". I may pass this onto her tomorrow. She'll probably roll her eyes (llike I'm sure many will).0 -
But.. But... But.... didn't you see? Eating cheeseburgers is BAD and you don't deserve to lose weight if you eat them, even if they fit in your daily caloric budget!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Orthorexia nervosa is not a disorder it's THE. ONLY. WAY.0 -
all which is not done in moderation is harmful for ones health... thanks for the article...0
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But.. But... But.... didn't you see? Eating cheeseburgers is BAD and you don't deserve to lose weight if you eat them, even if they fit in your daily caloric budget!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Orthorexia nervosa is not a disorder it's THE. ONLY. WAY.
^^^This :laugh:0 -
Sounds to me more like doctors trying to label something to point a finger at when people don't follow their advice.0
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I used to be orthorexic. It was horrible. I was a nasty biotch to be around, I was judgemental, a nag about what loved ones were eating around me, it made me a narcissist in relation to my eating habits. It gave me a superiority complex. I acted like my poop didn't stink because it was "clean". Thankfully I recovered from that craziness when I learned I had a natural talent and love for baking as well as actually reading about nutrition sciences. Now that I'm more moderate in my eating habits/choices I live a happier life and I'm not hyper vigilant about everything I put in my mouth.
Oh yes, not to mention once I stopped this "clean food digests differently than other foods so I can eat more of it" nonsense I actually got leaner and healthier by not excluding certain foods and enjoying everything in moderation.
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I'll admit... I was en route to being orthorexic myself. It was no fun. I tend to be a wee bit obsessive in gathering info sometimes, and this was one of those things I got carried away with. MFP helped straighten me out. 0
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I overcame this three years ago. If anyone wants support beating this E.D. friend me.0
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I used to be orthorexic. It was horrible. I was a nasty biotch to be around, I was judgemental, a nag about what loved ones were eating around me, it made me a narcissist in relation to my eating habits. It gave me a superiority complex. I acted like my poop didn't stink because it was "clean". Thankfully I recovered from that craziness when I learned I had a natural talent and love for baking as well as actually reading about nutrition sciences. Now that I'm more moderate in my eating habits/choices I live a happier life and I'm not hyper vigilant about everything I put in my mouth.
Oh yes, not to mention once I stopped this "clean food digests differently than other foods so I can eat more of it" nonsense I actually got leaner and healthier by not excluding certain foods and enjoying everything in moderation.
Love what you have to say. :flowerforyou:0 -
Great info, thank you0
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I just read an article similar to this yesterday. Great info, thanks for posting!0
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Suddenly I understand so many of the posts on MFP! 0
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i hope that cheeseburger person was being sarcastic...0
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bump0
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So.. choosing healthy foods is now a mental illness? Let me get this straight - if you actually take care to avoid pesticides, herbicides and genetically modified ingredients like soy and sugar, there's something wrong with you.
So the processed sugar, carbs and junk "food" that got me to over 300 lbs in in fact, normal?
My favorite part is the logic in that people choosing good food could end up malnourished. Umm.. since I started cutting out wheat, sugar and processed foods I've lost 50 pounds, don't have headaches or constant indigestion, my skin looks better and I have so much more energy.
I am sure that this affects a small minority of people and is very serious. But for most, isn't the issue the opposite? Please tell me that this doesn't get widely publicized so we can use it as a means to justify continuing as we currently eat in North America.0 -
That's a good point smaller. Our whole food supply is total crap and now someone has found a new way to rationalize it??? And to squelch your thinking I have any disorder, yesterday I ate commercial cheese pizza and loved it. It is just that MOST days, I prefer and or CRAVE a clean food intake with mostly veggies, with whole grains and lean meats. I find it highly irritating that It is so hard to find and so expensive. If these "ortho" people were the norm, society would change.0
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That's a good point smaller. Our whole food supply is total crap and now someone has found a new way to rationalize it??? And to squelch your thinking I have any disorder, yesterday I ate commercial cheese pizza and loved it. It is just that MOST days, I prefer and or CRAVE a clean food intake with mostly veggies, with whole grains and lean meats. I find it highly irritating that It is so hard to find and so expensive. If these "ortho" people were the norm, society would change.
Totally agree with you.0 -
Functionality. As with any "disorder", functionality is key.
You may not be orthorexic. Does your particular diet cause you discomfort on many levels and lower your overall quality of life? Are you more conscious of the foods you AVOID rather than enjoying eating the ones you've chosen to include?
Why are you so defensive after reading this?? Chill, you may NOT be orthorexic.0 -
Functionality. As with any "disorder", functionality is key.
You may not be orthorexic. Does your particular diet cause you discomfort on many levels and lower your overall quality of life? Are you more conscious of the foods you AVOID rather than enjoying eating the ones you've chosen to include?
Why are you so defensive after reading this?? Chill, you may NOT be orthorexic.
Defensive, moi? Probably because all day long I have office ladies bringing in treats and trying to push them on me along with their views on moderation, and "oh just have one.. one won't hurt" And "well you know you shouldn't deny yourself", "here I'll just leave a few for you on your desk". And after a lifetime of one bite turning into several and not being able to stop, I realize that I'm just not a moderation type of girl. I have to be a little extreme and simply cut things out, and for the first time in my life it is working for me. So I guess I feel a little defensive that my newfound way of thinking that actually seems positive and healthy for a change could be considered a mental illness.0 -
Functionality. As with any "disorder", functionality is key.
You may not be orthorexic. Does your particular diet cause you discomfort on many levels and lower your overall quality of life? Are you more conscious of the foods you AVOID rather than enjoying eating the ones you've chosen to include?
Why are you so defensive after reading this?? Chill, you may NOT be orthorexic.
And please don't tell the angry fat lady to CHILL
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So I guess I feel a little defensive that my newfound way of thinking that actually seems positive and healthy for a change could be considered a mental illness.
Understandable. You may find that you won't always have to eliminate foods to such an extreme... unless of course, you have medical issues that arise from consuming grains, etc. Or allergies.
Whatever helps, works. Just educate yourself on nutrition and what's actually supported by peer-reviewed scientific studies. For example, people seem to label HFCS as poison these days. So far, there's no evidence for that. It also helps to understand a little of how the body actually uses macronutrients, metabolises them and how versatile the body is in doing what it does.
I say this after 5 years of nearly orthorexic eating myself. Just keep an open mind and educate yourself, bottom line.0 -
I was officially diagnosed with Orthorexia four years ago. I'm recovered now. The weird thing about it is that whilst striving for perfect health you are actually destroying your body...0
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