Orthorexia nervosa involves an obseesive concern about only eating the “right” foods. It starts as a seemingly good idea but eventually takes over the person’s life.
The person becomes obsessed about what foods are eaten and how they are prepared. The person’s life is dominated with planning, purchasing and preparing meals. Failure to rigidly adhere to the diet triggers negative emotions such as anxiety, depression and anger.
Foods that must be excluded:
(1) artificial colors or flavors
(2) preservatives
(3) pesticide or herbicide residues
(4) genetically modified plants
(5) unhealthy fats
(6) excessive salt
(7) excessive sugar
(8) wrong type of sweetening agent
Groups of people who are at increased risk for orthorexia:
(1) athletes
(2) dieticians
(3) women
(4) adolescents
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