Tag: Healthy eating obsession

In 1997, American physician Dr. Steven Bratman coined the term "orthorexia nervosa" in an article for *Yoga Journal*. This term was created to describe a condition of unhealthy fixation on eating what one considers to be healthy or pure food, which he observed among his patients.

An estimated 21% to 57.6% of the general population engage in orthorexic behaviors. The term for a damaging obsession with healthy eating is called orthorexia nervosa, a complex condition where the pursuit of dietary purity paradoxically compromises one's overall well-being.

According to a review published in the *International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health*, rates of orthorexia nervosa vary widely, with some studies finding it in nearly 7% of the general population. This condition goes far beyond a normal interest in nutrition, transforming healthy eating into a relentless and all-consuming obsession with food purity that detrimentally impacts physical and mental health.

According to the National Eating Disorders Association, orthorexia is characterized by an obsessive focus on eating "pure" or "clean" foods. When a preoccupation with health becomes so extreme it negatively affects one's life, what is it called when you only eat healthy food? This condition is known as orthorexia nervosa.

According to a 2023 meta-analysis, up to three out of 10 people studied displayed symptoms of orthorexia nervosa. Orthorexic tendency refers to a disordered eating pattern characterized by an obsessive focus on consuming only 'clean' or 'healthy' foods, often leading to significant health and social consequences. What starts as a benign interest in nutrition can evolve into a rigid, life-consuming preoccupation with dietary purity.

According to the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA), an obsession with 'healthy eating' that negatively impacts a person's life can be a sign of a condition called orthorexia nervosa. While a conscious effort to eat nutritiously is generally beneficial, it crosses into disordered territory when the fixation becomes extreme and damaging. This article explores what you call a person who only eats healthy food, delving into the nuances that distinguish a health-conscious individual from someone struggling with this form of disordered eating.