That’s called orthorexia, and it’s a form of disordered eating that’s been getting a lot of attention lately. According to the National Eating Disorders Association, it’s defined as a fixation on righteous eating. “Orthorexia starts out as an innocent attempt to eat more healthfully, but orthorexics become fixated on food quality and purity,” they say. “They become consumed with what and how much to eat.”
Dr. Steven Bratman coined the term “orthorexia” in 1997. He had seen cases of it and drew the line between healthy eating and an unhealthy obsession with healthy eating.
In the age of over-processed snacks and fast food on every corner, we could all probably stand to eat a little healthier, right? But there can be a point where healthy eating ticks over into unhealthy behavior and becomes an obsession where you stop eating with friends because your habits are so restrictive, or you start to suffer physically because you’re not getting certain nutrients.
That’s called orthorexia, and it’s a form of disordered eating that’s been getting a lot of attention lately. According to the National Eating Disorders Association, it’s defined as a fixation on righteous eating. “Orthorexia starts out as an innocent attempt to eat more healthfully, but orthorexics become fixated on food quality and purity,” they say. “They become consumed with what and how much to eat.”
Dr. Steven Bratman coined the term “orthorexia” in 1997. He had seen cases of it and drew the line between healthy eating and an unhealthy obsession with healthy eating.
It’s been getting more attention lately, partly because restrictive food diets, like gluten-free and paleo, have been on the rise, and partly because social media can amplify the focus on your eating habits.