By Kelly Springstroh
I have heard of orthorexia in my time as a dietetic
intern, particularly through sitting in on presentations about unhealthy diet
obsessions within the professional workplace. Finding out that this term has
roots that go back to over 20 years ago was quite surprising to me. Dr. Steven
Bratman, an American physician, first described the term orthorexia in the late
nineties. The Greek definition translates ortho-
“right” or “correct” and rexia-
“appetite” or “diet.” Similarly, some may be familiar with the term anorexia,
which translates to an- “lack of” and
rexia- “appetite” or “diet.”
Oftentimes, people can mix up this term with another term anorexia nervosa, which
is a medical diagnosis and definition of an eating disorder. Why provide all
this definitive terminology? Because there is an existing phenomenon in today’s
culture that loved ones, friends, and even health professionals are having a
hard time identifying. This brings me back to the primary term of interest, orthorexia.
Dr. Bratman’s professional website tells his story
behind developing the term. He states: “I
originally invented the word as a kind of ‘tease therapy’ for my overly
diet-obsessed patients. Over time, however, I came to understand that the term
identifies a genuine eating disorder.” (1) When Dr. Bratman
started using this term, he didn’t have the overwhelming social media presence
found in today’s culture. It was also unlikely that he could predict that a
pound sign would be transformed into a window for discovering other people with
like-minded thoughts on nutrition.
#cleaneating
Let’s just be real for one second, if orthorexia was
manifesting even back then, I am going to argue that it is even more prominent
today, thanks to social media. A blog post by the Academy of Nutrition and
Dietetics in 2015 states, “experts believe it [orthorexia] has been gaining steam in recent years, fed
by the profusion of foods marketed as healthy and organic, and by the media's
often conflicting dietary advice. Like anorexia nervosa, orthorexia is a
disorder rooted in food restriction. Unlike anorexia, for othorexics, the quality instead of the quantity of food is severely restricted.” (2)
Depending on who you talk to, orthorexia may or may not seem like a big deal.
Currently, it is not a DSM (Diagnostic
and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) diagnosis but Dr.
Bratman and his colleagues have proposed formal criteria that could serve in
diagnosing this phenomenon in the future (3).
It is important to
remember that orthorexia is characterized by an unhealthy and extreme obsession with pure and healthy eating.
Individuals who eat in a way where they are making healthy choices because they
want to love their bodies and take care of them would most likely not be
considered as orthorexic. There are also circumstances where a prescribed
medical diet is necessary due to an underlying health condition. These
situations are usually followed by a healthcare team who can monitor the affect
that this diet may have on an individual’s well-being. In these instances,
orthorexia would not be a main suspect. Eating healthy and being concerned with
ingredients and diet quality, in of itself, is not orthorexic behavior either.
The difference lies
in the motive and belief behind a diet ritual. Orthorexia, like anorexia
nervosa, has elements of control over one’s personal eating habits and choices.
Orthorexia happens when your identity lies in what you eat, where you
constantly strive for dietary perfectionism. Food is nourishment to our bodies,
as well as, a quality of life. Healthy eating is to be enjoyed out of self-love
and respect and should not lead to extremes and anxiety.
Dr. Bratman suggests some questions to ask yourself
when thinking about your healthy eating habits. I only included the few
questions that I thought were harder to say “no” to when I was asking these
questions to myself. Sometimes an unhealthy view or relationship with food is
more subtle and harder to identify.
- · Do you feel better than other people because of your diet and view of “healthy eating?”
- · Do you often use words such as “clean” or “pure” or post on social media about your diet as a way of either comforting anxiety or other mental health issues or even an insecurity?
- · Do you feel more in control when you eat certain foods or follow certain diet regimens?
- · Do you push yourself to further advance your diet regimen even when it is very difficult to maintain just to feel like you are getting the same “kick?”
- · Has your desire to eat healthfully grown into a consuming part of your daily life rather than a tool to advance your personal goals?
I would ask you to also consider if you allow
yourself to occasionally “cheat” or deviate from your current regimen. If you
think that a small slip will cause absolute havoc on your health or well-being,
consider your current boundaries with your diet.
If you notice any of these patterns in yourself,
know that you are not alone and that there is no need to feel shame. Many
people do not even realize the unhealthy boundaries they are making with their
eating patterns and diet choices. A health professional can better help you dig
into how your diet is relating to your psychological health. Take a step back
and self-reflect. Hear this: you are not
defined by how well you keep to your healthy diet. You deserve to have a
healthy relationship with food because food is just one part of the “healthy
puzzle.”
It is so easy to fall into this mindset, considering
it bombards us every day. I searched the following hashtags on Instagram to see
how many terms I could find. I noticed they usually came together.
#fitspo
has 41,223,652 posts
#eatclean
has 40,402869 posts
#diet
has 34,603,747 posts
#cleaneating
has 29,758,634 posts
#healthyfood
has 25,481,515 posts
#nutrition
has 21,729,660 posts
Posting these hasthags does not directly indicate
ortherexia and we should never point fingers. I searched these because of what
I notice in diet culture today. We can’t discuss this term without at least
mentioning how social media plays into things. There is an added pressure to
eat a certain way when it seems like everyone else is posting about it. I would
revert to the previous questions, and again, encourage self-reflection. Eating
good, “clean” food can be done rightly if we maintain healthy boundaries and
encourage others around us to do the same. Let’s try and start a new movement,
where obsessing about healthy eating is limited and restrictions are lifted.
Where eating healthfully is done out of self-love rather than control. We can
be the ones to turn away from diet culture and start to seek wholeness in our
health, beyond our diet regimens.
Take care,
Kelly
References:
Personal Bio:
Kelly is a dietetic intern at Saint Louis University, specializing in geriatric
nutrition. Her hobbies revolve around the outdoors and sunshine. Her ideal day
would include going to a body of water (beach, springs, lake etc.) and hanging
her hammock in between two trees. She also enjoys salsa dancing, singing
Karaoke, spending quality time with people and watching documentaries.
