My article "Nervous Food" became resonant, there were many questions, both openly and in private messages. This means that the topic is interesting and relevant for readers. Considering that eating disorders are the most lethal of all mental disorders, we will continue it.
Today we will look into the problem of orthorexia. What is it, why does it arise, what are its characteristics and how is it related to raw foodism, vegetarianism?
From the history of the problem
The term "orthorexia" is a combination of two Greek words. Orthos means "true, faithful"; orexis means "appetite". Orthorexia is an eating disorder in which a person develops a pathological fixation on the correctness of nutrition. At the same time, he or she may ritualize the choice of products, buying them with special care, categorically rejecting contaminated or harmful ones, and following a strict diet.
The study of the problem began with the publication of an essay by Stephen Bretman . It was called "Health food junkie" (Health food junkie , 1997). In his work, the author argued the negative side effects of dietary medicine. He also named a new form of eating disorder - nervous orthorexia.
Scientists began to talk about the need to include this problem in official disease classifications. Many studied it. I was one of these specialists, studying various aspects of orthorexia. World media disseminated this type of eating disorder . The general portrait of an orthorex looked like this: a person over 30, strict dietary regulations, obsession with a healthy lifestyle, which occupies all thoughts and time. At the same time, he does not take into account taste preferences, focuses solely on the benefits of products and carefully checks their quality. He also ignores the caloric content of the daily diet, the balance between calorie intake and expenditure. Orthorexics are characterized by strong self-discipline, a taboo on visiting regular restaurants and a feeling of superiority over people who eat "whatever".
Let's get to the root of the matter!
The main need of an orthorex is self-affirmation ( Lozova , O., Fateyeva , M., 2017). And the taboo on unhealthy food and such dietary restrictions are tools for achieving one's own superiority. Such eating behavior is usually associated with pseudo-spiritual connotations. That is, when an orthorex fills himself with "clean" food, he feels cleaner, higher, better. It reaches a sense of holiness and there is a need to teach loved ones and acquaintances, to lecture them, promoting his style of nutrition, true and healthy principles. Those around him, in turn, see this as a cult, a sacred act instead of a regular meal. And condemnation, ridicule, sarcasm begin. Or polite distancing.
It is usually difficult to understand that such eating behavior must be considered in context, that there is always a certain idea behind such a cult. As Kuzma Prutkov said, one must look at the root. Why did a person change the usual principles of nutrition to new, non-typical ones? Only a professional can understand this.
This is similar to how a therapist determines the causes of a headache. After all, it can be a sign of sleep disorders and weather dependence; heat stroke and hypertension; osteochondrosis of the cervical spine and the consequences of a concussion... In short, a symptom of many different ailments. Therefore, the doctor conducts a comprehensive examination of the patient and only then makes a final diagnosis. And only when the person has asked for help.
The same is true with orthorexia. Without knowing the full picture, it is impossible to draw the right conclusions. Any behavior must be considered in context, what is the idea behind such a restriction? The same naked person in the shower and on the city street are different contexts.
Of course, raw food and vegetarianism are restrictive eating behavior. However, the phenomena can be a sign of an eating disorder, a manifestation of schizophrenia, and an experiment. For example, vegetarianism for someone is following a fashion trend or the influence of an authoritative person. For girls, it can be a spring challenge to lose weight and gain a healthy complexion. Everything is individual.
Studies have shown that both sexes are susceptible to orthorexia, and vegetarians, strict vegans, and perfectionists are at risk.
Differentiate correctly
Where is the line between a healthy eating pattern and an eating disorder? The criteria for orthorexia were identified by F. Barthels ( Bartels , F., Meyer , F., & Pietrowsky , R., 2015), and in 2016 were clarified by the same S. Bretman and T. Dunn. Several of them were identified:
To diagnose orthorexia, points 1, 2, 3, 5 and partly 4 must be present. When point 5 is not clearly met, the authors recommend diagnosing atypical anorexia nervosa.
Maintain respect!
Already in 2017, S. Bretman wrote about the incorrect interpretation of the term in the media. He called for not imposing labels of eating disorders, maintaining empathy for those who have become adherents of an alternative diet. In the ethical codes of nutritionists in many countries, such an attitude is also an axiom.
But in fairness, I will note that the consequences of orthorexia can be decreased immunity, osteoporosis, hormonal imbalances, exhaustion of the nervous system, cardiovascular diseases and social isolation. Less often - death from cachexia (exhaustion), as, for example, in the recent cases of the vegan Shakur families from Atlanta, the O'Learys from Florida, etc. Nevertheless, every adult is the master of his body, has the right to do with it whatever he wants. Of course, children and adolescents are an exception. Parents are responsible for them, who must intervene and seek help from a specialist. He himself does not have the right to impose help on adults, even when they cause significant harm to themselves. Professor A. Bryukhin (RUDN, Moscow) spoke excellently about the voluntariness and involuntariness of help in such situations in the journal "Eating Disorders: Modern Experience" ( Bryukhin A., Lineva T., 2019).
No one has the right to judge those who have changed their principles of nutrition and, in fact, promote orthorexia. An adult can do whatever he/she deems necessary with himself/herself according to the principle "MY BODY IS MY BUSINESS". If he/she wants to understand doubts and searches together with a specialist, to understand how to satisfy his/her needs not at the expense of food restrictions - that's generally great, the main thing is that the approach is professional.
Health and energy to us!
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