Sounds counter intuitive, but it’s true, according to a new study by researchers at York University in Toronto. ‘Clean’ eating can become an obsession that effects physical, mental and social health. Turns out a fixation on healthy eating can be as dangerous as a fixation on dieting…
We’ve all heard plenty about anorexia nervosa (an obsession with being thin), and bulimia (an obsession with binge eating), but this is the first mention I can recall of a condition called orthorexia nervosa.
What is it?
Orthorexia nervosa (ON) is defined by researchers as ‘an obsession with clean eating’. “How can that be bad?” I hear you say. Any obsession is, by definition, a bad thing.
While anorexia sufferers restrict Calories to achieve extreme weight loss, orthorexia sufferers restrict what they eat to extremes. Researchers describe ON as, “a fixation with the quality of food eaten and its preparation rather than the number of calories. Over time, they spend increasing amounts of time and effort purchasing, planning, and preparing pure and healthy meals, which eventually becomes an all-consuming obsession that interferes with other areas of life and results in weight loss.” Aside from the obvious, being a picky, extreme eater can cripple your social life. Folks won’t invite you to dinner anymore. Coffee Shop first dates will never happen.
A data mining operation on all studies published up until the end of 2018 in two popular clinical databases helped researchers identify the preconditions and psychological characteristics that can lead to developing ON.
What the study found
The study revealed that those who have a history of an eating disorder, obsessive-compulsive traits, dieting, poor body image, or a drive for thinness are more likely to develop a pathological obsession with healthy eating or consuming only healthy food.
“When taken to the extreme, an obsession with clean eating can be a sign that the person is struggling to manage their mental health,” said Dr. Jennifer Mills, Lead Author of the study.
The takeaway
“The long-term impact of these findings is that they will lead to better recognition among healthcare providers as well as members of the public that so-called healthy eating can, in fact, be unhealthy. It can lead to malnourishment or make it very difficult to socialize with people in settings that involve eating. It can also be expensive and time-consuming,” Mills explained.
My take
It makes logically elegant sense that a condition such as orthrexia nervosa exists, to complement anorexia and bulimia. What shocked me was that, according to the study report, orthorexia is not recognised in the official psychologlical diagnostic manuals as a legitimate disease. Perhaps, after this study and further studies that researchers say are indicated, orthorexia will be officially recognised and sufferers will get the respect and help they need.
I see nothing wrong with wanting to eat healthier. (See photo, top of page.) Just don’t let it rule your life!
~ Maggie J.