The Rise of Orthorexia
Written By: Laila Ibrahim and Mariam Shazad
From the public shaming of celebrities’ bodies on TV shows to the rise of social media, strict and oppressive beauty standards have long affected children, teenagers, and adults of all genders. An eating disorder is defined as ‘A range of mental conditions in which there is a persistent disturbance of eating behavior and impairment of physical or mental health.’ An eating disorder is one type of mental illness that is usually self diagnosable.
The symptoms of an eating disorder can vary, as there are around 6 different types, including, Anorexia, Bulimia Nervosa, Pica, Binge Eating Disorder (BED), Rumination disorder, and Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID). Other types include purging disorder, and the rising Orthorexia.
Now more than ever, there has been an intense fixation on healthy eating, especially with the “protein-ficiation” of everyday foods.
Orthorexia is defined as ‘an obsession with eating foods that one considers healthy’. The rise in social media influence and the toxic ‘gym tok’ culture has placed restrictive rules around healthy eating and dietary habits.
What makes orthorexia different from other common eating disorders?
At their core, most eating disorders are a result of one’s fear of gaining weight, even though they can be deemed as coping mechanisms for some individuals. Most individuals who suffer from eating disorders, suffer from anorexia, bulimia, or binge eating.
Anorexia involves a severely restricted caloric intake, Bulimia can at times complement Binge eating disorder. Those with bulimia will eat a large amount of food, and purge it later. Many of those who suffer with one or more of these disorders have a severely distorted body image, often called ‘body dysmorphia’.
For years, eating disorders have been on the rise. However, now more than ever, there has been an increase in orthorexia, and it has been extremely normalized within our societies. Completely normal foods have been altered to adhere to the “healthy eating only” crowd. Think protein sodas, low carb cookies and cakes, probiotic drinks and much more.
This is not to say that healthy eating is unimportant, because it's not! Everyone should eat and have access to healthy and nutritious foods. However, this obsession with healthy eating has been affecting the minds of many, causing them to develop a negative self image.
True health does not lie in restriction, but rather balance and self - acceptance!
Here’s how to identify if you or someone else is affected with Orthorexia (or other common eating disorders):
You limit your eating
You track calories constantly, without a specific weight loss goal in mind
You do not enjoy food in their natural state (for example, everything must be low in sugar, or include protein for you to enjoy it)
You over exercise
You are never pleased with your body
If you find yourself relating to any of these signs, it’s time to take the necessary steps to better your mental wellbeing. The first step should be to consult a medical professional, and immediately following that, should be a short social media break.
Physical health is just one type of health, your mental and emotional wellbeing matter too! Healthy foods are not foods that are simply low in calorie, but rather foods that provide you with the proper amount of nutrition and satisfaction!
References:
Scheiber, Rebecca, et al. “Socio-Cultural Power of Social Media on Orthorexia Nervosa: An Empirical Investigation on the Mediating Role of Thin-Ideal and Muscular Internalization, Appearance Comparison, and Body Dissatisfaction.” Appetite, vol. 185, Mar. 2023, p. 106522, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2023.106522.
Petre, Alina. “6 Common Types of Eating Disorders (and Their Symptoms).” Healthline, Healthline Media, 30 Oct. 2019, https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/common-eating-disorders#anorexia.
Dennis, Amy. “Orthorexia - National Eating Disorders Association.” National Eating Disorders Association, 4 Mar. 2024, https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/orthorexia/.
