Orthorexia Nervosa: over concern or obsession about healthy food?

Novara, Caterina; Pardini, Susanna; Maggio, Eleonora; Mattioli, S.; Piasentin, Sara

doi:10.1007/s40519-021-01110-x

Cited by 25 publications

(26 citation statements)

References 54 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…No relationship was found with characteristics related to anxiety, depression, or obsessive and compulsive symptoms, confirming a part of the literature about the independence of the ON from these constructs [83][84][85].…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 67%

Orthorexia nervosa and dieting in a non-clinical sample: a prospective study

et al. 2022

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Purpose Orthorexia Nervosa (ON) is characterised by excessive attention to a dietary regimen perceived as healthy. A critical factor in the distinction between ON and other eating disorders (EDs) is the dichotomy of quality-versus-quantity of food intake. We investigated whether specific types of diet or dieting frequency are associated with orthorexic features, explored the overlap between ON and EDs symptoms, and examined which constructs are predictive of ON after 6 months. Methods A total of 1075 students (75.1% female, mean age 20.9) completed a set of questionnaires assessing Orthorexia, Eating Disorders, Obsessions and Compulsions, Anxiety and Depression; 358 individuals (79.9 female, mean age 20.9) agreed to participate in the study and completed the same questionnaires after 6 months. Different regression models were defined to investigate our hypothesis. Results Findings suggest that ON is associated with the number and type of diets followed over a lifetime. Moreover, participants with EDs, body dissatisfaction, or a dysfunctional idea of thinness are more likely to report a greater degree of ON features. After 6 months, the best predictors of ON characteristics are the same ON characteristics assessed at the first administration, with a significant role in the ideal of thinness. Conclusions ON is more frequent in individuals with a previous diagnosis of EDs and in individuals who followed a restrictive diet or a vegan/vegetarian one; the number of lifetime diets, beliefs, and behaviors related to the ideals of thinness or body dissatisfaction is common features of ON. Moreover, considering that having ON features in the past is the best ON predictor in the present, we can presume that ON is a construct stable over time. Level of evidence Level IV: Evidence obtained from multiple time series analysis such as case studies. (NB: Dramatic results in uncontrolled trials might also be regarded as this type of evidence).

show abstract

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 67%

Orthorexia nervosa and dieting in a non-clinical sample: a prospective study

et al. 2022

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…The sample of this study is part of a larger one whose results were previously published [ 11 , 13 ]. The study was conducted among 133 adults belonging to three different groups: High Orthorexic Tendencies (HIGH) group, High Orthorexic Tendencies on Diet (HIGH-D) group, and Low Orthorexic Tendencies on Diet (LOW-D) group.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Literature highlights important overlaps between ON and the symptomatology of Eating Disorders (ED) [ 8 – 11 ]. There are moderate relationships between ON and obsessive–compulsive features [ 12 , 13 ]. Non-adaptive perfectionism [ 13 – 16 ], anxiety, and depression [ 17 , 18 ] are also associated with ON.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…There are moderate relationships between ON and obsessive–compulsive features [ 12 , 13 ]. Non-adaptive perfectionism [ 13 – 16 ], anxiety, and depression [ 17 , 18 ] are also associated with ON. Only a few studies investigated the relationship between personality and ON; however, neuroticism [ 19 ], perfectionism and narcissism [ 14 ], higher harm avoidance, higher transcendence, and lower self-directedness [ 20 ], persistence [ 21 ] and different personality disorder traits [ 22 – 25 ] are associated with higher orthorexic symptomatology.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

The role of dieting, psychopathological characteristics and maladaptive personality traits in Orthorexia Nervosa

et al. 2022

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background Pursuing a healthy diet is not a dysfunctional behavior, but dieting could be an important etiological factor for Orthorexia Nervosa (ON). The aim of this study was to investigate the role of diet in groups with high/low orthorexic tendencies. Moreover, some psychopathological characteristics associated with ON and maladaptive personality traits were investigated. Methods The sample consisted of three groups: two were on a diet and had high (HIGH-D; n = 52) or low (LOW-D; n = 41) orthorexic tendencies. The other was composed of people with high orthorexic tendencies not on a diet (HIGH; n = 40). Participants filled out self-report questionnaires to investigate orthorexic tendencies, eating disorders features, obsessive–compulsive symptoms, perfectionism, depressive/anxious symptomatology, and maladaptive personality traits. Results The HIGH-D group showed more orthorexic tendencies than the HIGH group. More maladaptive personality traits and anxiety symptoms have been highlighted in HIGH and HIGH-D groups. The HIGH group had more eating disorder characteristics than other groups. Only the HIGH-D group showed more depressive symptoms than the LOW-D group. Conclusions The features of HIGH and LOW-D groups suggest that diet alone could not explain ON, even if it could be a possible factor related to ON. Therefore, people with high orthorexic tendencies, psychopathological features, and maladaptive personality traits could be in a prodromic condition for disordered eating habits and deserve clinical attention.

show abstract

“…Although the negative outcomes of orthorexia nervosa have been studied (Cena et al., 2019; Dunn & Bratman, 2016; McComb & Mills, 2019; Novara et al., 2021), there is no consensus as to whether it represents a unique, independent mental disorder or is better considered a subtype of an existing disorder (e.g., other eating disorders; obsessive-compulsive disorder). Orthorexia nervosa is not listed separately in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5; American Psychiatric Association, 2013) or in the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11; World Health Organization, 2018).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Portuguese Adaptation of the Teruel Orthorexia Scale and a Test of Its Utility with Brazilian Young Adults

Silva

Marmol

Neves³

et al. 2021

Percept Mot Skills

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The aims for this study were to perform a Portuguese language cross-cultural adaptation of the Teruel Orthorexia Scale (TOS) and to evaluate the scale’s psychometric properties, including verifying the frequency of behaviors characteristic of orthorexia nervosa and healthy orthorexia, among a group of Brazilian gym users. First, we adapted the Spanish version of the TOS to the Brazilian Portuguese language following international protocols to guarantee idiomatic, semantic, conceptual, and cultural equivalence. Then participants completed both the new Portuguese version of the TOS and a socioeconomic questionnaire. Among our sample of 226 young Brazilian adults (63.7% men; M age = 28.8, SD = 5.1 years), we assessed the bi-factorial model of the TOS through factorial, convergent, and discriminant validity, reliability, and factorial invariance. We calculated the mean scores of the TOS factors and the frequency of behaviors of both orthorexia nervosa and healthy orthorexia. The new Portuguese version was well understood by participants, and the TOS bi-factorial model presented adequate psychometric properties and showed invariance in independent subsamples and in men and women. The mean scores were different between sexes only for orthorexia nervosa, with women obtaining higher values. The frequency of orthorexia nervosa behaviors was 5.3% and of healthy orthorexia was 41.2%. Based on these findings, the Brazilian Portuguese version of the TOS can be a useful tool for investigating orthorexia-like behaviors in future research.

show abstract

Orthorexia Nervosa: over concern or obsession about healthy food?

Cited by 25 publications

References 54 publications

Orthorexia nervosa and dieting in a non-clinical sample: a prospective study

Orthorexia nervosa and dieting in a non-clinical sample: a prospective study

The role of dieting, psychopathological characteristics and maladaptive personality traits in Orthorexia Nervosa

A Portuguese Adaptation of the Teruel Orthorexia Scale and a Test of Its Utility with Brazilian Young Adults

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About