Orthorexia, also called orthorexia nervosa, is a type of disorder characterized by excessive concern with healthy eating, in which the person consumes only pure foods, without pesticides, contaminants or products of animal origin, in addition to also only consuming foods with low glycemic index, low fat and sugar. Another characteristic of this syndrome is the concern overdoing the way of preparing food, taking excessive care not to add too much salt, sugar or fat.
This excessive concern with healthy eating makes the diet very restricted and little varied, leading to weight loss and nutritional deficiencies. In addition to also interfering in the person's personal life, since he does not eat outside the home, so that he has more control of how food is prepared, directly interfering in social life.
Signs and symptoms of orthorexia
The main indicative sign of orthorexia nervosa is excessive concern with the quality of the food that will be consumed and with the way it is prepared. Other signs and symptoms indicative of orthorexia are:
- Guilt and anxiety when eating something that is considered unhealthy; Food restrictions that increase over time; Exclusion of foods considered impure, such as those containing dyes, preservatives, trans fats, sugar and salt; Consumption only of organic products, excluding GM foods and pesticides from the diet; Exclusion of food groups from the diet, mainly meats, milk and dairy products, fats and carbohydrates; Avoid eating out or taking your own food when going out with friends; Planning meals with several days of before.
As a consequence of these habits, other physiological and psychological signs and symptoms appear, such as malnutrition, anemia, osteopenia, a sense of well-being and improvement of self-esteem depending on the type of food and consequences at a social and / or professional level.
The diagnosis of orthorexia must be made by the doctor or nutritionist through a detailed assessment of the patient's eating habits to see if there are dietary restrictions and excessive concern with food. It is also important to assess a psychologist in order to assess the person's behavior and whether there are any triggering factors.
When treatment is needed
The treatment of orthorexia nervosa must be carried out with medical supervision, and in some cases psychological counseling is also necessary. It is common to be necessary to take nutritional supplements in cases where there are deficiencies in nutrients, such as vitamins and minerals, or the presence of diseases such as anemia.
In addition to medical monitoring, family support is also essential for orthorexia to be identified and overcome, and for a healthy diet to be carried out without jeopardizing the patient's health.
It is also important to remember that orthorexia is different from vigorexia, which is when there is an excessive search through physical activity to have a body full of muscles. Understand what vigorexia is and how to identify it.
