Orthorexia nervosa is an unhealthy obsession with clean, healthy eating. The term was introduced in the late 1990s by Steven Bratman, MD, and though orthorexia is not recognized as a DSM-V clinical diagnosis, many people struggle with symptoms associated with this condition. Orthorexia nervosa literally translates to “fixation on righteous eating” and differs from anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa in that the obsession is on healthy eating rather than weight and body shape. It often starts with an attempt to eat better for any number of reasons – health enhancement, disease prevention or management, weight loss, compulsion for control or desire for improved spirituality, self-esteem or identity related to food.
Read Full Article »
