Orthorexia Nervosa: Is Healthy Eating Killing You?

 

A recent study in the University of Northern Colorado has issued a food safety warning against the newest craze; healthy eating. They call it orthorexia nervosa. The basis of this ‘disorder’ is based on one’s concentration on eating healthy foods.

Why is orthorexia nervosa a problem?

Because it is hurting your mind – making it an eating disorder.

It may not be an official disorder yet since it is not recorded in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) but Professor Thom Dunn believes it is only a matter of time before it is. Although one-third of the people in the United States are obese and will benefit from an improved diet, there is the subset of peoples whose concerns over the types of food they consume can actually become a danger to their health.

Orthorexia Nervosa was a term that originated in the 90’s and it means a fixation on a correct or right appetite. From Dunn’s research, the term is used to describe an individual who is obsessed with the quality and purity of food consumed. Signs to look for in orthorexia are;

  • Fatigue as a result of malnourishment
  • When your friends decline your invitation to eat out
  • Depression as result with the obsessive attitude towards food quality

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