When does preoccupation with healthy eating turn into a sick obsession?

Standards such as “cleaning” (clean eating) or “healthy eating” (healthy eating) have flooded social networks lately.

It is not surprising that today’s population is increasingly interested in making the right decisions regarding their diet.

Ultimately, we have more and more evidence about the close relationship between what we consume and the various diseases associated, specifically, with harmful eating habits.

in the last century Our habits have changed so fast And with them the way we live, communicate, inform ourselves and eat.

This did not leave us indifferent. There are those who have been swept away by the tide of globalization and endless working hours, leaving diets like the Mediterranean in favor of pre-made products.

At the opposite pole, there are those who chose the food bioecológicaHe asks in the corner supermarket about Ayurvedic foods to the amazement of the employee on duty.

From the start, it seems good that society seeks to improve its health by relying on food. However, behind these bio- or environmental labels is sometimes misleading advice or food.

Look at them with critical eyes It is necessary to avoid falling into osteoporosis.

How do you recognize orthorexia neurosis?

The term orthorexia nervosa (ON) was coined in 1997 by Steve Bratman, based on his own obsession that he developed for a clean diet of any substance considered “impure.”

It is derived from the Greek ὀρθóς (correct) and ὄρεξις (appetite). It is used in the case of individuals who combine a very restrictive diet of certain foods with an eating ritual when eating or preparing them. For example, cutting food in a certain way.

It is usually a ritual that takes longer for the patient without providing any nutritional value.

Sometimes the obsession with the quality or purity of food gets to such an extreme that it ends up causing dietary restrictions and deficiencies that greatly affect your health.

Another thing orthopedic subjects have in common is that they tend to categorize packaged foods as “hazardous”, “industrial” for industrially produced products, and “healthy” for biological products.

On a psychological level, Coincides with high self-esteem associated To achieve a diet that is supposed to be healthier than others.

However, they often experience frustration and anxiety when they violate or fail to adhere to self-imposed norms and rituals.

They tend to believe it to be alone It is the only way to fully control the entire food preparation process. They are at risk of social isolation.

Pathology or health concern?

Of course, the pursuit of a healthy diet should not be seen as a disease. Only when this research leads to mania which paradoxically leads to deterioration of health and other aspects of the patient, is it considered orthorexia.

He’s upset today, by the way Not officially recognized In any guide to mental disorders. Although it has features in common with eating disorders, according to a study by the authors of this article.

In these investigations, using self-reported diagnostic tools that assess the risk of suffering from orthoplasty, its prevalence was about 10% among the Spanish university population.

So could anyone worried about overeating put their mental health at risk? not nessacary.

Other researchers suggest differentiating between healthy orthotics and pathological orthotics. Understand that he will have a place Preoccupation with healthy food without satisfactory health results.

In any case, we can and should take care of maintaining a healthy diet.

But in no case should it become an obsession, let alone a control over our lives. Connecting with certified nutritionists and gaining nutritional knowledge, always from the hands of professionals, are the best allies when we try to adopt healthy eating habits.

Maria Dolores Unieva Zafra is Professor of Nursing at the University of Castilla La Mancha, Juan José Fernandez Muñoz is Professor at Rey Juan Carlos University, and Maria Laura Parra Fernandez is Professor at the University of Castilla La Mancha.

This article originally appeared on The Conversation. You can read the original over here.

***

You can now receive notifications from BBC Mundo. Download and activate the new version of our app so you don’t miss our best content.