Do I Have Orthorexia?

Do you believe that compulsive behaviors or mental preoccupations with dietary choices promote optimal health?

When you break self-imposed dietary rules, does it cause anxiety, shame, fear of disease, or negative physical sensations?

Do you implement dietary restrictions that escalate over time and can include the elimination of entire food groups and addition of cleanses, fasts, or both?

Do you experience medical issues because of your obsession with healthy eating, such as malnutrition, severe weight loss, or other medical complications?

Do you experience personal distress or difficult social or academic functioning due to beliefs or behaviors related to healthy eating?

Does your body image, self-worth, identity, or satisfaction depend on complying with self-imposed dietary rules?

Based on your answers, it is unlikely that you have orthorexia. Healthy eating can lead to major improvements in health. However, there are some people that have an obsessive focus on healthy eating. These people suffer from orthorexia, an eating disorder, which can have severe consequences. Often, it can be hard to distinguish orthorexia and a normal preoccupation with eating healthy. That’s why it’s challenging to determine how common the disorder is.

Based on your answers, you may be displaying a sign related to orthorexia, or orthorexia nervosa. This is an eating disorder characterized by an unhealthy obsession with healthy eating. What differentiates this eating disorder from the others (i.e., anorexia and bulimia) is that orthorexia is about food quality, not quantity. People with orthorexia have an extreme preoccupation with the ‘purity’ of their foods and an obsession with the benefits of maintaining a healthy diet. It may be important to discuss your symptom(s) with your doctor to understand what you can do to improve your quality of life.

Unfortunately, you are displaying the symptoms typically seen among individuals who have orthorexia. It is very important to talk with your doctor. Orthorexia is an eating disorder in which the sufferer has an unhealthy obsession with healthy eating. If left untreated, the condition can result in permanent damage to your health. If you are able to recognize the negative effects of your behavior, a multidisciplinary team can help you to get better. Treatment may include behavior modification, cognitive restructuring, relaxation training, and education about nutrition information.