Orthorexia: from a healthy concern to a pathology
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López Medina MD. Ortorexia: de sana inquietud a patología. Metas de Enferm jul/ago 2009; 12(6): 14-19
Authors
María Dolores López Medina
Position
Diplomada en Enfermería.
Contact address
C/ Hermanos García Noblejas, 5. 23620 Mengíbar (Jaén).
Contact email: lolalo20@hotmail.com
Abstract
The tendency to worship the body and eating disorders are evident facts in today’s Western countries in which people have put into their minds that having a good physical appearance and enjoying a good health are the formula to reach happiness and as a result people feel attracted towards all healthy activities and products. Hand in hand with that comes an eating disorder known as orthorexia. This disease is characterised by an excessive focus on eating healthy foods. The prevalence of this disorder is currently unknown in Spain as it a rather rare and new phenomena. Some specialist estimate that from 0.5 to 1% of their total number of visits have been with orthorexic patients. The disorder is based on sociocultural factors as the hypothesis to get completely natural products in today’s modern societies is practically nil.
This fixation has a direct impact on the emerging association between mental problems and endocrine disorders. This paper depicts the problem from its origin and establishes its prevalence and the groups at risk. It also describes the characteristics and effects of this “addiction” to the consumption of healthy foods.
Keywords:
orthorexia; eating disorders; healthy foodanorexia
Versión en Español
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