When healthy eating becomes an obsession
Maintaining a balanced and healthy diet is a key factor in maintaining good physical and emotional health. Over the last three decades, this concern for what we eat has become increasingly prominent in all aspects of life. This focus on caring for our bodies and our diets has moved publicly and openly into online environments and social media. This public exposure puts a great deal of social pressure on people regarding the image they project, becoming a particularly high risk during adolescence.
Being mindful of what we eat is important, but what happens when that interest turns into control and obsession? When we cross this line, we are at risk of developing an eating disorder called orthorexia .
Orthorexia is defined as a pathological obsession with healthy eating. It involves a disordered eating pattern where the problem revolves around the quality of food, not the quantity (unlike, for example, anorexia nervosa).
People with orthorexia base their food choices on criteria such as: biologically pure, organic, non-GMO, and pesticide-free foods. One of the main characteristics is that they self-impose a prohibition on certain foods, such as meat and fats. This disorder is characterized by excessive preoccupation and obsessive-compulsive behavior regarding healthy eating, making this control one of their primary life goals. This obsession interferes with daily activities, as it completely occupies their thoughts and generates anxiety and guilt when something prevents them from adhering to their dietary restrictions. This behavior often leads to social isolation due to the difficulty of reconciling these strict rituals with everyday activities.
Orthorexia was first defined in 1997 by the American physician Steve Bratman, although it is not recognized in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders of the American Psychiatric Association (DSM-5), used by mental health professionals to diagnose mental disorders. However, it is expected to be included as a diagnosis soon. We are, therefore, dealing with a relatively new disorder and, consequently, one with much research and scientific evidence still needed to fully understand the phenomenon.
What we do know is that people with obsessive and perfectionistic behaviors are at greater risk of developing orthorexia. In this sense, it is a behavior closely related to anorexia nervosa. Often, people with anorexia nervosa reduce their food intake of high-calorie foods and, furthermore, restrict their food intake to a very small amount.
What are the symptoms of orthorexia?
- Excessive concern about food.
As a result of preoccupation with the quality and quantity of food, excessive anxiety arises. The fear of losing control generates additional distress. Excessive anxiety can lead to depressive symptoms, hypochondria, hypervitaminosis (an excess of vitamins in the body), or hypovitaminosis (a lack of vitamins in the body). In advanced stages, obsessive-compulsive eating disorders may appear. This excessive control causes the person to value the characteristics of the food more than the pleasure of eating. - Unbalanced and restrictive diet .
Eliminating many foods that are considered unhealthy makes the diet unbalanced and very restrictive, so that the person does not get the necessary nutrients from different types of food. - Food rituals.
Rituals related to food preparation appear. These are time-consuming and have little practical value. Bratman noted that these individuals spend more than three hours a day thinking about a healthy diet. It is important to keep in mind that these rituals can affect the nutritional quality of the food. - Feeling of guilt.
When dietary guidelines cannot be followed, a strong sense of guilt arises. This can often lead to self-punishment, further restricting the foods one can eat. - Irrational fears.
Fears may arise regarding the effects of food. For example, one might fear that a high-fat food will cause death or that sugary foods will cause excessive weight gain. - Loss of interest. Usual interests gradually diminish. Activities and motivations are abandoned, and everything becomes focused exclusively on food.
- Weight loss .
Although there is no intention to lose weight, due to the elimination of a large amount of food from your diet, weight loss usually occurs.
Regarding treatment , it is very similar to that of anorexia, bulimia, and all eating disorders. It is necessary to receive care from an interdisciplinary team of professionals specializing in eating disorders. As with all eating disorders, the earlier these obsessive behaviors with food are detected, the easier it will be to recover physical and emotional health.
Body dissatisfaction and uncontrolled dieting are increasing among adolescents
How does orthorexia affect health?
An obsession with healthy food interferes with a person's physical, emotional, and social well-being.
Physical consequences
Failing to eat foods our bodies need or not replacing those foods with others that provide the same nutrients can lead to nutritional deficiencies. These deficiencies can include anemia, vitamin or trace element deficiencies, or lack of energy.
For example, eliminating fats compromises the intake of fat-soluble vitamins and fatty acids, both essential for the proper functioning of the body. If we don't eat meat, iron levels drop, and although vegetables also provide protein, it is of lower quality.
Emotional consequences
People with orthorexia are under immense pressure as a result of the extremely strict eating rules they impose on themselves. The intense self-control they must exercise can lead to exhaustion, which may manifest as irritability, anxiety, or depression. Another important factor is self-esteem, which is affected by their ability to adhere to these self-imposed rules.
Relational consequences
One of the consequences of this lifestyle is social isolation. It's common for people to miss meals or celebratory occasions because they can't afford food. Leisure time is also affected, as they spend a lot of time planning, shopping, and preparing food, at the expense of other social activities.
How can I tell if I have a problem?
Taking care of yourself and trying to maintain a healthy, balanced diet doesn't mean you have an eating disorder. It's important to understand that the differentiating factor is obsession , which causes our behavior to change.
To determine if you have an orthorexia problem, you can ask yourself these basic questions:
- Do food-related topics cause you distress?
- Do you spend your day thinking about what you're going to eat and whether it's healthy enough?
- Have you stopped doing things with your family or friends to spend more time organizing your meals?
- Are you more concerned about the quality of food than the pleasure of eating it?
If you answer yes to any of the questions, it is recommended that you seek professional help, as this could indicate an obsessive disorder. It is important to remember that orthorexia develops gradually. It often begins with a seemingly positive behavior, such as maintaining a balanced and healthy diet.
How can I eat healthily without becoming obsessive?
Preventing an eating disorder lies in all of a person's environments and in their own emotional management tools and knowledge.
Promote healthy eating habits
Promoting a healthy and balanced diet in the family, school or work environment will help strengthen appropriate behaviors, minimizing the negative effects that the world of fashion, advertising or social networks have on personality.
Understanding how the body works and what it needs
It is recommended to follow a varied and balanced diet that includes the quantity and variety of foods our body needs to function properly. If we know which nutrients our body needs, it will be easier to understand their purpose and importance. In this sense, there are no "forbidden" foods if they are eaten in the right amount and at the right time of day.
Self-esteem as the foundation of good mental health
Promote self-esteem
Emotional education and healthy self-esteem are fundamental and protective factors for our mental health against the impact of current beauty standards, the need for peer recognition, and societal trends. This work must be done in all of a person's educational environments and from an early age: at home, at school, and in leisure settings, so that individuals reach adolescence and adulthood with a solid foundation in emotional management.
When dealing with a person who has already shown obsessive or highly perfectionistic behaviors, it is necessary to pay special attention to their relationship with food.
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