Orthorexia nervosa /ˌɔːrθəˈrɛksiə nɜːrˈvoʊsə/ (also known as orthorexia) is a proposed eating disorder characterized by an excessive preoccupation with ...OrthorexianervosaFromWikipedia,thefreeencyclopediaJumptonavigationJumptosearchOrthorexianervosa/ˌɔːrθəˈrɛksiənɜːrˈvoʊsə/(alsoknownasorthorexia)isaproposedeatingdisordercharacterizedbyanexcessivepreoccupationwitheatinghealthyfood.[1][2][3]Thetermwasintroducedin1997byAmericanphysicianStevenBratman,M.D.Hesuggestedthatsomepeople'sdietaryrestrictionsintendedtopromotehealthmayparadoxicallyleadtounhealthyconsequences,suchassocialisolation,anxiety,lossofabilitytoeatinanatural,intuitivemanner,reducedinterestinthefullrangeofotherhealthyhumanactivities,and,inrarecases,severemalnutritionorevendeath.[4]In2009,UrsulaPhilpot,chairoftheBritishDieteticAssociationandseniorlectureratLeedsMetropolitanUniversity,[5]describedpeoplewithorthorexianervosaasbeing"solelyconcernedwiththequalityofthefoodtheyputintheirbodies,refiningandrestrictingtheirdietsaccordingtotheirpersonalunderstandingofwhichfoodsaretruly'pure'."Thisdiffersfromothereatingdisorders,suchasanorexianervosaandbulimianervosa,wherethoseaffectedfocusonthequantityoffoodeaten.[1]Orthorexianervosaalsodiffersfromanorexianervosainthatitdoesnotdisproportionallyaffectonegender.Studieshavefoundthatorthorexianervosaisequallyfoundinbothmenandwomenwithnosignificantgenderdifferencesatall.Furthermore,researchhasfoundsignificantpositivecorrelationsbetweenONandbothnarcissismandperfectionism,butnosignificantcorrelationbetweenONandselfesteem.[6]Thisshowsthathigh-ONindividualslikelytakeprideovertheirhealthyeatinghabitsoverothersandthatisthedrivingforcebehindtheirorthorexiaasopposedtobodyimagelikeanorexia.OrthorexianervosaisnotrecognizedasaneatingdisorderbytheAmericanPsychiatricAssociation,andsoisnotmentionedasanofficialdiagnosisinthewidelyusedDiagnosticandStatisticalManualofMentalDisorders(DSM).[a]Contents1Signsandsymptoms2Cause3Diagnosis4Epidemiology5History6Orthorexiaandotherdisorders7Seealso