A new twist on anorexia is “Orthorexia,” a compulsive and obsessive preoccupation with healthy eating. Orthorexia is NOT an official diagnosis, but it is very similar and as life-threatening as anorexia nervosa.
Steven Bratman, MD is given credit for recognizing and coining Orthorexia Nervosa in his 2001 book, Health Food Junkies: Orthorexia Nervosa: Overcoming the Obsession with Healthful Eating. Having myself been a vegetarian and natural food purveyor, I recognized that Bratman was capturing a modern variant of anorexia. Health Food Junkies describes Bratman’s own near fatal experience with orthorexia. His obsession with healthy eating crowded out other activities and interests, impaired relationships, and became physically dangerous. People with orthorexia usually avoid fat, white sugar, white floor, and all processed food. They fast often and for extended periods. They may eat only raw foods, take many herbs and supplements, and eat too many fruits and vegetables. It is not surprising that often the orthorexic loses a dangerous amount of weight. At least several people have died of orthorexia in the past few years. See Bratman’s website http://www.orthorexia.com/ for information. The real danger of orthorexia is that it masquerades as healthy eating so that a developing eating disorder goes unnoticed.
Peace, Marcia
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