Orthorexia: An Unhealthy Approach To Healthy Eating

All of the health and dietary advice swirling around online points in a similar direction: Eating healthfully means focusing on fresh fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains. It also means limiting foods that are high in fat and sugar or highly processed.

But what if-in an effort to do all that-you somehow take your diet a bit too far? Healthy eating that goes from a choice to a chore to an obsession may be a sign of something more serious.

"You can start off with a goal of improving your diet and fueling your body in a better way," says Seth Swary, Ph.D., a sport psychology clinician at Henry Ford Health. "But sometimes that evolves into a very black-and-white, good-versus-bad approach to food that's not healthy."

What Is Orthorexia?

The term "orthorexia" was coined in the late 1990s as a way of describing healthy eating taken to an unhealthy extreme. It's not a clinical diagnosis or one that's officially recognized as an eating disorder. But the behavior it describes falls into the spectrum of disordered eating.

"Orthorexia is a preoccupation with healthy eating that can disrupt your social life and potentially impact your physical health as well," says Dr. Swary. That preoccupation with eating only what's on your often increasingly short list of acceptable foods can lead you to isolate from others and avoid social situations that involve food.

People at highest risk for this behavior are those who are highly health conscious. Dr. Swary says that athletes are particularly vulnerable as they try to use their food choices to fuel and improve performance. He says that an estimated 13% of athletes fit the definition of orthorexia.

Warning Signs Of Orthorexia

Recognizing orthorexia in yourself or others can be tricky. That's because it can be a very fine line between being a super-healthy eater and someone who has an unhealthy obsession with their food choices.

Because we're constantly bombarded with messages to eat healthier and avoid foods that are "bad" for you, it's easy to think that what you're doing is good for you. "You may even get validation from friends and family who comment on what healthy choices you're making or what great self-control you have," says Dr. Swary.

There are some warning signs that your healthy interest in eating well has taken a wrong turn. These include:

• Allowing the food you ate to affect your mood and feeling shame or guilt when you've eaten something you feel you shouldn't
• Cutting entire food groups out of your diet
• Labeling and categorizing foods as either "good" or "bad"
• Obsessing over ingredients and food labels
• Spending much of your time thinking about and planning what you will-or won't-eat
• Withdrawing from social outings that may involve food

Mental and Physical Effects of Disordered Eating

Disordered eating can be dangerous for both your mental and physical health. "When your daily life starts to revolve around your food choices it can impact not only your diet but also your emotional well-being," says Dr. Swary.

Orthorexia can become so severe that it restricts your diet to an unhealthy degree. Cutting out food groups, and limiting calories, fat and other nutrients can lead to malnutrition over time. When you don't allow yourself a wide variety of foods, it becomes increasingly difficult to get all the essential nutrients your body needs to function at its best.

This type of disordered eating can also take a toll on your emotional health. "When anything-even something that starts out as a healthy choice-turns into an obsession, it's no longer healthy," says Dr. Swary. At that point, you'll find that your moods and your emotions are dictated by your food choices. You feel happy if you control and restrict your eating, but eating any "bad" foods leaves you with feelings of guilt and shame.

How to Get Help for Orthorexia

Although orthorexia isn't classified as a clinical disorder, seeing a mental health professional may be the most effective way to change your behavior. "You need someone who can help you work through your relationship with food and help you redefine it in a healthier way," says Dr. Swary.

Working with a dietitian can also be helpful. They can provide an eating plan that ensures you get all the nutrients you need. Knowing you are meeting your nutritional requirements can help alleviate the need to obsessively plan out your daily food choices.

Keeping a journal is a good way to gain a better understanding of the impact your food choices are having on your mood. Writing down your feelings can help you become more aware of the judgements you have around food. Then you can start challenging yourself to reframe the role food plays in your life.

"It's important to be proactive about having a healthy relationship with food," says Dr. Swary. "You need to take care of that relationship because food is life."

Reviewed by Seth Swary, Ph.D., a sport psychology clinician at the Henry Ford Center for Athletic Medicine.