Question 1

What is the Meaning of Orthorexia?

Accepted Answer

Orthorexia nervosa describes an unhealthy preoccupation with healthy eating, often leading to restrictive dietary patterns and significant psychological distress. It involves an obsessive focus on food quality and purity rather than quantity, differing from anorexia nervosa which centers on weight and body image.

Question 2

What is the Context of Orthorexia?

Accepted Answer

While not formally recognized as a distinct eating disorder in diagnostic manuals like the DSM-5, orthorexia exists within the broader spectrum of disordered eating behaviors. Its development often involves a complex interplay of psychological vulnerabilities, societal pressures regarding health and wellness, and individual predispositions towards control or perfectionism in dietary choices.

Question 3

What is the Significance of Orthorexia?

Accepted Answer

Clinically, recognizing orthorexic tendencies is crucial for identifying individuals at risk for nutritional deficiencies, social isolation, and compromised mental well-being. This condition can lead to significant impairments in daily functioning, requiring targeted intervention to address both dietary restrictions and underlying psychological components for improved patient outcomes.

Question 4

What is the Mechanism of Orthorexia?

Accepted Answer

The psychological mechanism involves a cognitive distortion where certain foods are labeled as "pure" or "impure," leading to rigid adherence to self-imposed dietary rules. This rigidity can trigger anxiety and guilt when rules are broken, reinforcing a cycle of increasingly restrictive eating behaviors. Physiologically, severe dietary limitations can result in micronutrient deficiencies and metabolic dysregulation over time, impacting systemic health.

Question 5

What is the Application of Orthorexia?

Accepted Answer

In clinical practice, identifying orthorexia involves careful assessment of a patient's relationship with food, their dietary rules, and the impact these rules have on their social life and emotional state. Healthcare professionals may observe an escalating avoidance of specific food groups, compulsive label reading, or excessive time spent planning meals, indicating a need for intervention.

Question 6

What is the Metric of Orthorexia?

Accepted Answer

Assessment of orthorexia typically relies on self-report questionnaires, such as the ORTO-15, and comprehensive clinical interviews to evaluate the degree of dietary preoccupation and its impact on psychosocial functioning. Nutritional status can be monitored through blood work to identify potential deficiencies in vitamins, minerals, or macronutrients resulting from restrictive eating patterns.

Question 7

What is the Risk of Orthorexia?

Accepted Answer

Untreated orthorexia carries substantial risks including severe malnutrition, osteoporosis, electrolyte imbalances, and impaired immune function due to inadequate nutrient intake. Psychological risks include increased anxiety, depression, social withdrawal, and a diminished quality of life stemming from an unrelenting focus on food purity, necessitating professional support.

Orthorexia

Meaning

Context

Significance

Mechanism

Application

Metric

Risk

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