Over the next few years it is likely you’re going to be seeing more about a condition known as orthorexia. As a nutritionist I’ve been exposed to it for a long time but it’s now receiving wider recognition.
What is it?
Orthorexia nervosa is a term which literally means “fixation on righteous eating.” It’s a condition where people have an unhealthy obsession with eating “perfectly”, “clean” or “pure” and have a fear around foods that are “unhealthy”.
It’s a fairly new condition and hasn’t yet been recognised in the DSM-5; a big book which includes all conditions that can be diagnosed by a psychiatrist. But while it isn’t formally identified, there is growing awareness that this disorder is becoming more common.
The difference between healthy eating and orthorexia
Unfortunately it can be a little hard for some people to understand. We live in a time when we are constantly told about unhealthy eating habits, obesity rates and the rise of chronic disease. These issues are largely seen as being related to a poor diet.
So when we then talk about people having issues with eating too healthy and becoming obsessed with healthy food, some can’t wrap their head around it as a problem.
The best analogy I can use is someone who has OCD and can’t stop washing their hands. We don’t turn to this person and say that there is nothing to worry about because being clean and hygienic is a good thing. We realise that it has gone beyond this point and there is more to it than just cleanliness.
Well the same thing with orthoreixa. There is nothing wrong with eating healthy food, or caring about how your food was grown or raised. It is when this turns from something that is supporting your health into something that is destroying your quality of life because of fear and obsession, that is becomes a whole different story.
The difference between healthy eating and orthorexia links into the time and importance that their diet starts to take up in their life. Going to the shops becomes a 3-hour affair as they read every ingredient on every label. They will spend hours obsessing over their food choices and probably think about it more than anything else.
Something as simple as food becomes this huge thing in someone’s life; rather than enhancing it, instead it’s creating more fear, worry and anxiety.
A component of this is people start to think about things in black and white terms. Salad is good. Green juices are good. Pizza is bad. Ice-cream is bad.
The same can apply for other areas of your life. Exercise is good. Losing weight is good. Being dedicated is good. There are no grey areas, just absolutes.
People’s food choices become reflections of them as a person. I ate a salad, which is good food so that makes me a good person. I ate some pizza and crisps, which is bad food so that makes me a bad person. Food choices become a yardstick in which people start to judge themselves.
Why does it happen?
There are lots of reasons why this condition is on the increase.
As a society we are fixated on weight like we have never been before.
The standards are so narrow that even those with a “perfect” body feel they need to lose more or be more toned or some other change. It means that huge percentages of the population are constantly on one diet or another.
The standards are so narrow that even those with a “perfect” body feel they need to lose more or be more toned or some other change. It means that huge percentages of the population are constantly on one diet or another.
Most of the health “markers” people use are all to do with aesthetics.
If someone “looks” healthy, then they must be healthy. The appearance of health is more important than actual health.
This goes hand-in-hand with an increased appreciation of youthfulness, especially for women. Even at 50 or 60 there is still a desire to look “young”.
People now belong to eating “tribes”.
They identify themselves as “paleo” or “vegan” and this creates stricter rules about what foods are and aren’t permissible. This means subsequently changing how you eat isn’t just about changing dietary practices; it’s about changing who you are as a person.
People now get validation for how they eat.
The amount of pictures on Instagram and Facebook of people’s meals is astronomical. People want to be seen as a healthy eater and the bar for what is seen as “healthy” keeps increasing.
Extreme practices are now seen as the norm.
Go back 50 years and how many people would do a week long juice fast? Now, it is seen as a normal monthly ritual and no one bats an eyelid. Historically it was only those with severe conditions who were cutting out certain foods but now cutting out whole food groups is commonplace.
Food has become much more of a focal point in people’s lives unlike any other time.
Our obsession with cooking shows, eating out, recipe books, food blogs, etc. Previously we used to care about food because supply was an issue, now it’s abundant we care about it because of what our eating habits say about us as a person.
And let me just clarify – that none of these things on their own will lead to orthorexia: there is nothing inherently wrong with following food blogs, putting food pictures on Instagram or following a vegan diet. But when these things are combined with the wrong kind of susceptible person, they can lead to orthorexia.
So what are the symptoms?
The symptoms are many but may include things like:
- A worry about food quality
- A strict and restricted diet with concerns about connection between food and specific health issues
- Spending a significant amount of time thinking about and planning food
- Fear when eating a meal you’re not in control of
- Guilt or self loathing when straying from your diet
- Becoming isolated due to your dietary practices
- Critical thoughts about others who don’t adhere to your diet
How can you beat it?
Like many other diseases, I think the first step to dealing with the issue is recognising you have a problem and seeking help.
And just like with other eating disorders like anorexia or bulimia, it is realising that your issues mostly aren’t about food. The issues link into self-esteem, beliefs about who you are, self worthiness and as a coping mechanism. While a change in diet is needed, this alone won’t resolve the problem.
Become aware of the environment that you are creating around yourself. Are you constantly reading diet books and food blogs? Is your Instagram filled with pictures of “healthy” food? Are you constantly looking online for ways to lose weight?
If you want to change your relationship with food and your body, you’ve got to become conscious of what you’re feeding it daily on a mental and emotional level. Getting over this means changing how you see yourself and your life and these environmental factors have a direct impact on this.
And finally you’ve got to create balance in your life. This means re-including all the non-food things that have dropped by the wayside. Create a life where food’s importance is reduced because there are other more exciting and more important things to enjoy.
This doesn’t mean you can’t eat healthily, but realising that health doesn’t come from diet alone but from living a life that is full and purposeful in every sense of the word.
Want more information?
Last year I wrote a book The Health Trap: Why Eating “Healthy” Isn’t Always Healthy. It goes through a phenomenon that I see all to often in practice, people making themselves unwell through trying to be “healthy”.
Food issues happen on a spectrum: it’s not like you either have them, or you don’t. The book looks at what I would think of as early stage or a mild form of orthorexia. It covers the common symptoms people are often suffering with, the “healthy” diet that people are trying to eat and how this causes their issues.
It also explains how you can stop dieting once and for all. I want people to learn what works for them rather than constantly following arbitrary rules and regulations. The book explain how you can become more in tune with your body to be able to do this.
Chris is a UK-based nutritionist. He runs the company 7 Health (seven-health.com) where he works with clients one-on-one and runs training programs.
He also lectures for the School of Natural Therapies in London.
The Health Trap (Create Space, £4.91)
