Orthorexia Nervosa: The Unofficial Eating Disorder Characterized by Obsessive Healthy Eating
Orthorexia nervosa is a pattern of eating behavior characterized by an extreme fixation on food 'purity' and health rules, often to the detriment of an individual's well-being. Unlike anorexia, which focuses on quantity and weight, orthorexia centers on the quality and perceived 'cleanliness' of food. The term, coined in 1997, describes a situation where efforts to eat healthily spiral into rigid, joyless routines. While not yet an official diagnosis in manuals like the DSM-5, researchers widely acknowledge it as a real and distressing pattern. Warning signs include spending excessive time planning and preparing 'safe' foods, experiencing guilt or anxiety after eating 'impure' items, cutting out entire food groups without medical reason, prioritizing food 'cleanliness' over taste, judging others' food choices, and avoiding social events due to inability to control food options. The rigidity and distress caused by these behaviors are key indicators. 
