Have You Heard Of Orthorexia Nervosa?

Did you know that eating too much healthy foods can be a sign of an eating disorder?
Coined by Colorado physician Steve Bratman in 1997, the term orthorexia nervosa is a relatively new term for an eating disorder characterized by excessive preoccupation on eating healthy foods.
Of course, healthy eating is not bad in itself. We all know the benefits that a healthy diet can give us. However, those people with orthorexia nervosa tend to overdo the healthy diet part of a healthy lifestyle. They may become so obsessed with eating a healthy diet that they develop malnutrition or even die in the long run.
Orthorexia nervosa can somehow be likened to obsessive-compulsive disorder, in that they become too engrossed with watching their diet that they detest eating foods that they consider unhealthy, such as those rich in fat and preservatives. These people may be eating a healthy diet, but they are not consuming a balanced one.
As of this time, the American Psychiatric Association has not yet classified orthorexia nervosa as an eating disorder in the DSM-IV criteria.

Eating Disorder Self Test. Take the EAT-26 self test to see if you might have eating disorder symptoms that might require professional evaluation. All answers are confidential.

Find a Treatment Facility Near You

Click on a state below to find eating disorder treatment options that could be right for you.

Where do calls go?

Calls to numbers on a specific treatment center listing will be routed to that treatment center. Calls to any general helpline (non-facility specific 1-8XX numbers) could be forwarded to SAMHSA or a verified treatment provider. Calls are routed based on availability and geographic location.

The EatingDisorders.com helpline is free, private, and confidential. There is no obligation to enter treatment. In some cases, EatingDisorders.com could charge a small cost per call, to a licensed treatment center, a paid advertiser, this allows EatingDisorders.com to offer free resources and information to those in need by calling the free hotline you agree to the terms of use. We do not receive any commission or fee that is dependent upon which treatment provider a caller chooses.

CALL NOW FOR IMMEDIATE HELPCALL NOW FOR IMMEDIATE HELP800-568-9025Response time about 1 min | Response rate 100%
Who Answers?