Eating Healthy Gone Haywire

           Is orthorexia nervosa just a myth or is it in fact a newly emerged eating disorder? Being a student pursuing a degree in nutrition, I had never heard of the disorder, until I attended a seminar at Arizona State University. One of the guest speakers was an individual who worked at a well-known eating disorder facility, Rosewood Ranch, in Wickenburg, Arizona. Of all the material covered in her presentation, what caught my attention was the unique term known as orthorexia nervosa. Believe it or not, orthorexia nervosa is an eating disorder that centers on the fixation of eating proper or healthy foods! The term was first coined by Steven Bratman, M.D. to tease his clients who were overly obsessed with healthy eating. Coincidently, Steven Bratman personally struggled with orthorexia nervosa himself and experienced his own journey to recovery.           

For those not familiar with orthorexia nervosa, the disorder begins innocently enough with the desire to either overcome illness or improve health. As the sickness continues, the individual finds the quality of food consumed more important than personal values, career goals, interpersonal relations, and social relationships. They find themselves adhering to an extremely strict diet that is often tied to philosophy or theory created by the individual. Thus, the dietary philosophy that he or she has created results in the potential to leave out major food components. The orthorexic individual feels a strong self- discipline to conform to this dietary plan, as well as a sense of superiority over those who consume junk food. 

           The prevalence of orthorexia nervosa is daunting. In a media driven society that promotes extreme thinness, gaunt body frames, and healthy eating, it is easy for the orthorexic individual to hide behind these shields. Do you know an individual who seems overly cautious of what he or she eats? Do they feel that their reasons are justifiable, when they are actually not valid? If so, pay attention to possible clues, dig a little deeper and, if necessary, take the steps to assist the individual in seeking treatment. 

Michelle Ipjian