What is Orthorexia: Symptoms, Complications and Causes

Physical warning signs of orthorexic behaviors are more challenging to spot than other eating disorder diagnoses, however, there are a few indications:

• Weight fluctuations.
• Reduced concentration.
• Difficulty sleeping.
• Vital/lab fluctuations.
• Constipation.
• Dehydration.
• Malnourishment symptoms due to food rules reducing the amount of food being consumed.
• Fine soft hair growth.
• Thinning hair due.

Possible orthorexia nervosa behaviors can be more clear when considering the following behavioral and emotional symptoms:

• Obsession with the origin of foods (where/how prepared).
• Obsessive concerns regarding food and possible medical or health concerns.
• Rigid food rules.
• Increased supplement usage.
• Reduced consumption of food based on food rules centered on beliefs of “health.”
• Concern about food preparation and techniques and control over these things.
• Unwillingness to eat food not prepared by the individual themselves or whose preparation was not supervised by the individual.
• Judgment of those that do not adhere to their food rules.
• Linking self-esteem or self-view to adherence to food rules.
• Obsessively checking nutrition labels.
• Daily life revolves around food preparation or rules.
• Withdrawing from others.

Many of the biological factors that fuel anorexic beliefs and behaviors also fuel orthorexia, such as perfectionist tendencies. In other ways, orthorexia nervosa has similar neurological aspects to obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) such as obsessive fixations. Biological factors that contribute to orthorexia include:

• Family history of eating disorder behaviors.
• Perfectionistic and rigid personality traits.
• Obsessive personality traits.
• Childhood illness is related to diet or digestive issues.
• Medical problems that one believes can be cured through “pure” eating.

A large part of what contributes to orthorexia nervosa lies in psychology, as the disorder itself results from a cognitive fixation on the idea of “purity,” “cleanliness” and “health” in eating. Other psychological factors that contribute to orthorexia development include:

• Low self-esteem/self-worth.
• History of past trauma.
• Co-occurring mental health diagnosis, particularly of OCD or Generalized Anxiety Disorder.
• History of dieting.
• Core beliefs are related to purity, cleanliness, and health as well as core beliefs related to food and self-worth, value, or morality.
• Disordered familial beliefs surrounding food “purity” and “health.”
• Tendency toward extremism and obsessiveness.
• Reportedly feeling pressure to be perfect or achieve perfection/success.
• Need for control.

As mentioned above, there is no doubt that, while society may not cause Orthorexic tendencies, the messages perpetuated about the body, food, and exercise via television and social media do not help. For example, one study learned that those following the “healthy eating” community on Instagram had a high prevalence of orthorexic tendencies [4]. Aspects of diet culture, the wellness and beauty industry, and social media that contribute to orthorexic beliefs are:

• Emphasis on eurocentric beauty standards and the “thin ideal.”
• Photoshopping and filters that alter the appearance without consumer’s awareness.
• Messaging that appearance is connected to empowerment/worth/fulfillment/etc.
• Lack of regulation around what is posted regarding laxatives/diuretics.
• Disguising laxatives and diuretics as lollipops and shakes that are “weight loss supplements.”
• Perpetuation of concepts that there are “quick fixes” to alter one’s body entirely from its biological predisposition.
• Lack of awareness of reality versus highly-curated social media.
• Reduced consumer consciousness.
• Increased feelings of unworthiness or lack of value or “measuring up” to false portrayals of life and “highlight reels” via social media.