Orthorexia Nervosa
ANDREW PAGLIA
12TH GRADE
History
 First used by Steven Bratman
 Believed to be a mental disorder
 From the Greek orthos
right
 Orexis
appetite
correct or
History Cont.
 Not a formal medical condition
 Number of doctors feel it is a health
phenomenon
What is Orthrexia Nervosa?
 An obsession with healthy eating
 Avoiding foods perceived to be unhealthy
 Become fixated on food quality and purity
Cont.
 Compulsive obsession that takes control of
lives
 Causes them to view their own worth through
the food they eat
 They religiously follow certain food rules
Who is Mostly Affected
 Women
 Between the ages of 18-24
 Those with low s self -esteem
How does someone get it
 Orthorexia appears to be motivated by health
and well being
 Underlining Conditions
 Wanting to be thin
 Improving self-esteem
 Searching for spirituality through food
 Using food to create an identity
Signs and Symptoms
 1)Planning meals several days in advance
 2)Feeling extremely guilty when you break
your diet
 3)Always assessing the nutritional value of
foods
 4)Unable to enjoy social activities
 5)Spending more than 3 hours a day thinking
about your diet
Signs and Symptoms Cont.
 6)Happier when you eat correctly
 7)Looking down on people who have no
control over
 8)Strictly controlling yourself
 9)No longer eating your favorite foods
Risks/Complications of
Orthorexia Nervosa
 Physical risks are very few
 Most risks and complications are social and




emotional
Loneliness
Spending too much time buying and planning
out meals
Eating alone, isolation
Poor relationship
Treatment
 Not a condition your doctor will diagnose
 Education about proper nutrition is a must
 Counseling is highly recommended
 It will help increase self-esteem and set more
realistic expectations.
Treatment Cont.
 Must admit there is a problem
 Identify what caused the obsession.
 Become more flexible and less strict with
their eating habits
Foods and diets
 Variety is key to a healthy diet
 Eating meat is beneficial for b12 vitamins
 Avoid Foods high with hormones
Recovery
 The recovered orthorexic will still eat
healthfully
 There will be a different understanding of
what healthy eating is
 They will find that while food is important, it
is one small aspect of life
So What’s The Big Deal?
 The diet of the orthorexic can actually be
unhealthy
 The nutritional problems dependent on the
specific diet
 An orthorexic may be socially isolated
 Focusing their day on the food
Compared to other Eating
disorders
 Sufferers of orthorexia and anorexia show
similarities
 Desire to achieve control over their lives
through control of food intake
 Seeking self-esteem fulfillment through
controlling food intake
 Citing undiagnosed food allergies as rationale
for avoiding
Is it considered an eating
disorder
 Society pushes healthy eating and thinness
 So it is easy for many to not realize how
problematic this behavior can become.
 Not an accepted Medical condition viewed as
a trend
Criticism
Not perceived as formal medical condition
The diagnoses risks personal taste and
preferences
Doesn’t take into account sensitivities to
foods
Online Help for Orthorexia
 Www.mdjunction.com/orthorexia-nervosa
 www.timberlineknolls.com/eating-
disorder/orthorexia
More Info
 www.orthorexia.com/
 www.mayoclinic.com/health/orthorexia/MY0
0768