In researching orthorexia, I was at first surprised at how little has been written about it, compared to some topics. But I suppose the fact that it is not an official eating disorder comes into play. There is virtually no scientific research on the matter, but there are a selection of thoughtful articles that are available online.
- First and foremost is the writeup on orthorexia nervosa on the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) website. It includes a list of questions you can ask yourself if you think you might have orthorexia, but aren’t sure.
- The term orthorexia originated by Steven Bratman, MD, in a 1997 Yoga Journal article. As awareness of the concept has grown, it’s had it’s share of misinterpretations. Dr. Bratman himself explains “What is Orthorexia” on his website. The “About ‘Orthorexia‘” page offers further clarification.
- A recent article, “When Healthy Eating Becomes an Obsession” on the BU Today (Boston University) website.
- From the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics website, “Orthorexia: An Obsession with Eating ‘Pure’.”
- “Orthorexia – When eating healthy goes awry” from Mayo Clinic.
I hope these provide some valuable information to anyone who is concerned that they, or someone they care about, may have orthorexia. Tomorrow, I’ll talk more about this dilemma, and provide some links to local eating disorder resources.
