{"id":9815,"date":"2025-12-16T20:06:11","date_gmt":"2025-12-16T20:06:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/orthorexia-eating-disorder-rise\/"},"modified":"2025-12-16T20:06:11","modified_gmt":"2025-12-16T20:06:11","slug":"orthorexia-eating-disorder-rise","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/orthorexia-eating-disorder-rise\/","title":{"rendered":"A New Eating Disorder, Orthorexia, Is On The Rise, According To Therapists &#8211; AOL.com"},"content":{"rendered":"<article>\n<p>Therapists treating eating disorders report a rise in orthorexia, an unhealthy preoccupation with eating only foods perceived as healthy. In recent years clinicians in private practice and virtual care have seen more patients whose diets become restrictive enough to cause nutritional shortfalls, social withdrawal, and emotional distress. Although orthorexia is not an official DSM-5 diagnosis, studies and clinical caseloads point to growing prevalence in certain groups and to obstacles for recognition and treatment. Experts warn that the overlap of diet culture and social media amplification has likely contributed to this trend.<\/p>\n<h2>Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Orthorexia describes an obsession with eating foods judged to be healthy that can lead to nutrient deficiencies and insufficient caloric intake, clinicians say.<\/li>\n<li>It is not listed in the DSM-5, making standardized diagnosis difficult and epidemiology uncertain in the United States.<\/li>\n<li>A 2021 review reported prevalence estimates ranging from 6.9% in Italy to 88.7% in Brazil, reflecting wide variation by study and population.<\/li>\n<li>Targeted groups show higher estimates: Instagram users about 49%, nutrition students about 72%, and people who exercise regularly about 55% in select studies.<\/li>\n<li>A 2023 study found higher orthorexic symptom severity among athletes, especially endurance runners.<\/li>\n<li>Common signs include rigid food rules, cutting entire food groups without medical reasons, food-centered social avoidance, and excessive time or money spent on specific foods.<\/li>\n<li>Recommended treatment commonly combines cognitive behavioral therapy with guidance from a registered dietitian to restore nutritional balance and reduce rigid thinking about food.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Background<\/h2>\n<p>Clinicians describe orthorexia as an eating pattern that begins with a legitimate desire to eat healthier but becomes an inflexible system of rules and moral judgments about food. Unlike anorexia or bulimia where body image may be the central driver, orthorexia often starts with the goal to maximize health, then narrows into avoidance of foods seen as impure or toxic. That difference can mask the problem: patients may receive praise for discipline rather than recognition of pathology, delaying help.<\/p>\n<p>Public factors that shape the rise include diet culture, commercialized wellness messaging, and social media content that amplifies restrictive diets and anecdotal claims about food harm. The absence of formal DSM-5 criteria complicates research and clinical tracking; studies use different screening tools and cutoffs, producing wide prevalence ranges. Stakeholders include therapists and dietitians treating cases, researchers trying to standardize measurement, sports coaches and athletic programs encountering at-risk competitors, and online platforms where dietary messages spread.<\/p>\n<h2>Main Event<\/h2>\n<p>Clinicians at practices treating eating disorders report more people presenting with orthorexic patterns: strict avoidance of entire food groups, bringing personal food to social events, and severe distress when planned meals are disrupted. Sadi Fox, PhD, a psychotherapist in Brooklyn who specializes in eating disorders, and colleagues report patients who did not initially perceive their habits as disordered until nutritional or social consequences emerged. Some patients describe spending large amounts of time researching diets and switching regimens based on influencers rather than evidence.<\/p>\n<p>Dietitians working with those patients note concrete health effects: low intake of calories and certain micronutrients, constipation or other digestive problems, and reduced energy. Emily Van Eck, RD, emphasizes that removed food groups\u2014if not medically required\u2014can translate quickly into measurable deficiencies. Therapists see corresponding psychological impacts: shame, guilt, and growing isolation as individuals avoid situations that challenge their food rules.<\/p>\n<p>Because orthorexia lacks an official diagnostic code, clinicians rely on behavioral patterns and functional impairment to guide intervention. Treatment approaches in current practice typically combine cognitive behavioral strategies to address rigid thinking with nutrition rehabilitation from a qualified dietitian. When orthorexic behaviors exist in athletes, clinical teams often coordinate with coaches and medical staff to monitor training and health markers.<\/p>\n<h2>Analysis &#038; Implications<\/h2>\n<p>The rise of orthorexia raises questions for public health, clinical practice, and digital policy. From a public health perspective, restrictive diets framed as virtuous may increase population-level risk of undereating and micronutrient gaps if broadly adopted without oversight. Clinicians must be alert to signs that healthy eating has become punitive rather than nourishing.<\/p>\n<p>In clinical settings, absence from the DSM-5 means inconsistent screening and variable insurance coverage for treatment. That gap slows development of consensus diagnostic tools and complicates efforts to measure true prevalence in national samples. Researchers recommend harmonizing assessment instruments to produce comparable estimates across countries and subpopulations.<\/p>\n<p>For athletic programs and coaches, orthorexic behaviors may impair performance and recovery even when intended to optimize fitness. The 2023 study indicating higher symptoms among endurance athletes suggests teams should integrate routine screening and liaison with sports dietitians to prevent escalation. Finally, policy conversations about platform amplification of restrictive diet content may become part of prevention strategies, but causal links remain to be better established.<\/p>\n<h2>Comparison &#038; Data<\/h2>\n<figure>\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Population<\/th>\n<th>Reported Prevalence<\/th>\n<th>Source (year)<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>General sample, Italy<\/td>\n<td>6.9%<\/td>\n<td>2021 review<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>General sample, Brazil<\/td>\n<td>88.7%<\/td>\n<td>2021 review<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Instagram users<\/td>\n<td>49%<\/td>\n<td>2021 review<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Nutrition students<\/td>\n<td>72%<\/td>\n<td>2021 review<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Regular exercisers<\/td>\n<td>55%<\/td>\n<td>2021 review<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Athletes (endurance runners)<\/td>\n<td>Higher symptom severity<\/td>\n<td>2023 study<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/figure>\n<p>The table illustrates how estimates vary widely by study population and methodology. Differences reflect sample selection, screening instruments, and cultural context; direct comparisons require caution. Clinicians and policymakers should prioritize standardized metrics for future surveillance to clarify who is most at risk and how best to target prevention and care.<\/p>\n<h2>Reactions &#038; Quotes<\/h2>\n<p>Therapists and dietitians treating orthorexia emphasize both clinical challenges and patient experiences. Below are representative remarks paired with context.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>It is diet culture&#8217;s newest attack, turning reasonable health goals into rigid, punitive rules.<\/p>\n<p><cite>Sadi Fox, PhD, psychotherapist (clinical perspective)<\/cite><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Fox uses this phrase to underline how social and commercial messages can reframe healthy choices as moral imperatives. Clinicians report patients arriving with sincere health motives that later convert into exclusionary food rules that impair daily functioning.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>Cutting entire food groups without a medical reason can quickly create nutritional gaps.<\/p>\n<p><cite>Emily Van Eck, RD, registered dietitian (clinical nutrition)<\/cite><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Van Eck highlights measurable physiological consequences she observes in practice, including low energy and digestive complaints. Dietitians play a key role in restoring balanced intake and correcting misinformation about food.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>People often do not realize how deep their disordered patterns are until they lose social connections or experience health effects.<\/p>\n<p><cite>Kelli Rugless, PsyD, clinical psychologist (clinical practice)<\/cite><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Rugless underscores delayed insight as a barrier to care. Because the behavior can be socially lauded, individuals and their networks may not recognize when help is needed.<\/p>\n<aside>\n<details>\n<summary>Explainer: What is orthorexia and how is it treated?<\/summary>\n<p>Orthorexia refers to a maladaptive fixation on eating foods presumed to be healthy, distinct from other eating disorders by its health-oriented motivation. It is not currently an official DSM-5 diagnosis, so clinicians assess behavior, distress, and functional impairment rather than applying a standardized code. Treatment commonly uses cognitive behavioral therapy to reduce rigid beliefs about food, combined with nutrition counseling from a registered dietitian to restore adequate intake and correct misinformation. For clinicians, certified credentials such as CEDS or CEDRD identify specialists in eating disorder care. Prevention efforts focus on media literacy, balanced nutrition education, and early screening in high-risk groups.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n<\/aside>\n<h2>Unconfirmed<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>National prevalence in the United States is not established because of inconsistent diagnostic tools and the lack of DSM-5 criteria.<\/li>\n<li>While social media correlates with higher symptom scores in some studies, direct causation between platform content and orthorexia onset remains unproven.<\/li>\n<li>Variations in reported prevalence across countries may reflect methodological differences rather than true population differences.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Bottom Line<\/h2>\n<p>Orthorexia represents a growing clinical concern: an intention to eat well that can become rigid, restrictive, and harmful. Clinicians advise focusing on function and health outcomes rather than moral judgments about food, and recommend combined therapy and nutrition support when behaviors cause distress or physical symptoms.<\/p>\n<p>Because orthorexia is not yet a formal diagnostic category, improving screening tools, collecting standardized epidemiological data, and educating clinicians, coaches, and the public are priority steps. If you or someone you know shows signs such as cutting entire food groups without medical need, spending excessive time or money on diet rules, or withdrawing from social food events, seek evaluation from an eating disorder specialist or a registered dietitian.<\/p>\n<h2>Sources<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aol.com\/articles\/eating-disorder-orthorexia-rise-according-174600112.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">AOL (news article reporting clinician perspectives)<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/journal\/ijerph\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (journal; 2021 review referenced)<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/journal\/40519\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Eating and Weight Disorders &#8211; Studies on Anorexia, Bulimia and Obesity (journal; 2023 study referenced)<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nationaleatingdisorders.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">National Eating Disorders Association (advocacy and clinical resources)<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/findedhelp.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">findEDhelp.com (provider directory hosted by a national alliance)<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/article>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Therapists treating eating disorders report a rise in orthorexia, an unhealthy preoccupation with eating only foods perceived as healthy. In recent years clinicians in private practice and virtual care have seen more patients whose diets become restrictive enough to cause nutritional shortfalls, social withdrawal, and emotional distress. Although orthorexia is not an official DSM-5 diagnosis, &#8230; <a title=\"A New Eating Disorder, Orthorexia, Is On The Rise, According To Therapists &#8211; AOL.com\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/orthorexia-eating-disorder-rise\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about A New Eating Disorder, Orthorexia, Is On The Rise, According To Therapists &#8211; AOL.com\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":9808,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rank_math_title":"Orthorexia Is On The Rise \u2014 HealthBrief","rank_math_description":"Therapists report rising orthorexia, an obsession with 'healthy' eating that can cause nutrient deficiencies, isolation, and mental health harm. Signs, data, and treatment options explained.","rank_math_focus_keyword":"orthorexia,eating disorder,clean eating,prevalence,therapy","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9815","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-top-stories"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9815","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9815"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9815\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9808"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9815"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9815"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9815"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}