Orthorexia nervosa 228214 222071050 2008-06-27T12:34:59Z 219.114.50.130 /* External links */ '''Orthorexia''', or '''orthorexia nervosa''' is a term coined by Steven Bratman, a [[Colorado]] MD, to denote an [[eating disorder]] characterized by a fixation on eating what the sufferer considers to be healthful food, which can ultimately lead to early death.<ref name="orthorexia.com">[http://www.orthorexia.com/ The Orthorexia Home Page by Steven Bratman, MD]</ref><ref>[http://www.beyondveg.com/bratman-s/hfj/hf-junkie-1a.shtml ''Health Food Junkies'' Essay by Bratman, reprinted from Yoga Journal, October 1997]</ref> Bratman coined the term in 1997 from the [[Greek language|Greek]] ''orthos'', "correct or right", and ''orexis'' for "appetite"<ref>S. Bratman, D. Knight: ''Health food junkies''. Broadway Books, New York, 2000.</ref>. Literally "correct appetite", the word is modeled on ''[[anorexia (symptom)|anorexia]]'', "without appetite", as used in definition of the condition [[anorexia nervosa]]. Bratman describes ''orthorexia'' as an unhealthy [[obsession]] (as in obsessive-compulsive disorder) with what the sufferer considers to be [[healthy eating]]. The subject may avoid certain [[food]]s, such as those containing [[fat]]s, [[preservative]]s, [[animal product]]s, or other ingredients considered by the subject to be unhealthy; if the dietary restrictions are too severe or improperly managed, malnutrition can result. Bratman asserts that "[[emaciation]] is common among followers of health food diets."<ref name="orthorexia.com"/><ref>[http://www.pamf.org/teen/life/bodyimage/orthorexia.html Palo Alto Medical Foundation Summary of Eating Disorders]</ref> According to the ''Macmillan English Dictionary,'' the word is entering the [[English language|English]] [[lexicon]].<ref>[http://www.macmillandictionary.com/New-Words/040103-orthorexia.htm Macmillan English Dictionary entry for ''Orthorexia Nervosa'']</ref>, and although the condition is not listed in the '''[[Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders|DSM-IV]]'''<ref>[http://www.bulimiaguide.org/summary/detail.aspx?doc_id=9380 Orthorexia nervosa<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>, it is used as a diagnosis by some practitioners who have documented the damaging results of the condition, as they have seen in their practices.<ref>[http://www.webmd.com/content/article/29/1728_64424 Web MD report: Orthorexia: Good Diets Gone Bad]</ref><ref>[http://psychologytoday.com/articles/pto-20041202-000004.html ''Orthorexia: Too Healthy? Specialists have coined a new term-orthorexia-to describe an obsessive concern with healthy eating that often leads to social isolation''], Psychology Today, Sept/Oct 2004.</ref><ref>[http://observer.guardian.co.uk/foodmonthly/story/0,9950,547293,00.html ''Observer Guardian Newspaper'', Sept 9, 2001, column reporting on Orthorexia]</ref> == Diagnostic criteria == As of January 2007, two peer-reviewed studies have been published on the condition. <ref name="Donini 2004">{{cite journal |author=Donini L, Marsili D, Graziani M, Imbriale M, Cannella C |title=Orthorexia nervosa: a preliminary study with a proposal for diagnosis and an attempt to measure the dimension of the phenomenon |journal=Eat Weight Disord |volume=9 |issue=2 |pages=151–7 |year=2004 |pmid=15330084}}</ref> <ref name="Donini 2005">{{cite journal |author=Donini L, Marsili D, Graziani M, Imbriale M, Cannella C |title=Orthorexia nervosa: validation of a diagnosis questionnaire |journal=Eat Weight Disord |volume=10 |issue=2 |pages=e28–32 |year=2005 |pmid=16682853}}</ref> In the studies, Donini et al define orthorexia nervosa as a "[[maniacal]] obsession for healthy foods" and propose several diagnostic criteria.<ref name="Donini 2004"/> Sufferers of orthorexia often display symptoms consistent with [[obsessive-compulsive disorder]] and have an exaggerated concern with healthy eating patterns. A diagnostic questionnaire has been developed for orthorexia sufferers, similar to questionnaires for other eating disorders.<ref name="Donini 2005"/> Bratman proposes an initial self-test composed of two direct questions: "Do you care more about the virtue of what you eat than the pleasure you receive from eating it?... Does your diet socially isolate you?" <ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/4389849.stm |title='I am an orthorexic'|last=McCandless |first= David |date=29 March 2005| publisher=BBC News}}</ref> == Symptoms and Theory == Symptoms of ''orthorexia nervosa'' may include [[obsession]] with [[healthy eating]], [[emaciation]], and [[death]] by [[starvation]]. Orthorexic subjects typically have specific feelings towards different types of food. [[food preservation|Preserved]] products are described as "dangerous", industrially produced products as "artificial", and biological products as "healthy". Sufferers demonstrate a strong or uncontrollable desire to eat when feeling nervous, excited, happy or guilty. According to the abstract of a 2004 study quoted on [[PubMed]], a service of the [[National Institutes of Health]], "The analysis of the physiological characteristics, the social-cultural and the psychological behaviour that characterises subjects suffering from ON shows a higher prevalence in men and in those with a lower level of education."<ref name="Donini 2004"/> == Biology of orthorexia nervosa == There has been no investigation into whether there may be a biological cause specific to orthorexia nervosa. However, Donini et al link orthorexia to a food-centered manifestation of [[Obsessive compulsive disorder#Biological explanations|obsessive compulsive disorder]], which is thought to have specific biological causes. == See also == * [[Comfort food]] * [[Emotional eating]] * [[diet (nutrition)|Diet]] * [[Coping (psychology)]] == References== <div class="references-small"> <references /> </div> ==External links== *[http://www.orthorexia.com/ Steven Bratman official page] *[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/4389849.stm BBC News article - 'I am an orthorexic'] *[http://www.pale-reflections.com/ednos.asp EDNOS & Other Types (includes Orthorexia Nervosa)] *[http://www.something-fishy.org/whatarethey/other.php#ortho Orthorexia Nervosa] *[http://www.healthyplace.com/Communities/Eating_Disorders/type_orthorexia.asp Orthorexia: Good Diets Gone Bad] *{{cite news |author = Cochrane, Kira |title = When healthy eating turns into a disease |url = http://www.guardian.co.uk/g2/story/0,,1891502,00.html |work = The Guardian |publisher = |date = 2006-10-10 |accessdate = 2006-10-10}} *[http://marketplace.publicradio.org/shows/2006/10/16/PM200610167.html Marketplace Radio Segment - 'An unhealthy obsession with eating healthy?'] *[http://eatingdisordersonline.com/explain/orthorexia.php Orthorexia Nervosa Online Resource] *[http://calorielab.com/news/2007/09/06/are-you-orthrexic-is-anyone/ The 10 signs of orthorexia: Summary of Dr. Bratman's diagnostic standards] [[Category:Culture-specific syndromes]] [[Category:Eating disorders]] [[ca:Ortorèxia]] [[da:Ortoreksi]] [[de:Orthorexia nervosa]] [[es:Ortorexia]] [[fr:Orthorexie]] [[it:Ortoressia]] [[nl:Orthorexia nervosa]] [[pl:Ortoreksja]] [[fi:Ortoreksia]] [[sv:Ortorexi]] [[no:Ortoreksi]]