In order to fully understand the meaning of the term orthorexia, it is necessary, first of all, to discover its etymological origin. In this case, we have to emphasize that it is a word that derives from Greek. Exactly it is the result of the sum of three lexical components of said language:
-The adjective “orthos”, which is equivalent to “straight”, “correct” or “right”.
-The noun “orexis”, which is synonymous with “appetite” or “desire”.
-The suffix “-ia”, which is used to indicate “quality”.
Orthorexia is an eating disorder characterized by an obsession with a certain food or a set of foods. The person can completely eliminate these foods or, on the contrary, consume only these products, depending on whether they are considered healthy or not.
Steven Bratman was the one who coined the term when researching this kind of disturbance. While those suffering from anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa worry about calories and the quantity of food, individuals with orthorexia focus on its quality .
Due to the restrictions they establish in their diets , subjects with orthorexia tend to be malnourished , since they exclude essential nutrients to maintain good health. Those who have orthorexia can discard all foods with preservatives or fats, for example, or eat exclusively organic products, to mention two possibilities.
In addition to everything indicated, we have to establish that there are a series of symptoms that indicate that a person suffers from orthorexia. We are referring to symptoms such as these:
-He comes to perform almost “rituals” when preparing food.
-He has a diet that is really very restrictive and that is also quite unbalanced.
-Exhibits a constant and excessive concern about food. And that can cause anxiety, you can lose control at certain moments and you can even suffer from anxiety.
-In the same way, it should be noted that the individual who suffers from this eating disorder has notable feelings of guilt when at some point or situation he has come to “break” the eating rules that he has set for himself. A guilt that can lead you to exercise excessively and reach exhaustion or to further limit the foods you can eat.
To treat orthorexia, specialists recommend the formation of an interdisciplinary group with psychiatrists , psychologists and clinical doctors . The patient must attend periodic meetings and have the support of his or her family .
It is important to mention that the concept of orthorexia has received criticism from different experts. For many, the intention to adopt a healthy diet, leaving aside the foods that are most harmful to the body , brings more benefits than drawbacks and does not necessarily reflect the existence of a psychological problem.
At first, orthorexia was linked to athletes , since their need for physical care is greater than that of other people. However, over time it was considered that athletes and those who do not play sports face the same risk of contracting orthorexia.