Psychological features of persons with orhorexia nervosa

Abstract

It is good to eat healthy food. We are encouraged to do so by major medical associations, personal physicians, celebrities, schools, employers, the media and even the government. However, there are a variety of recommendations available regarding what eating healthy means, and some of these are stricter than others. This unhealthy relationship with healthy foods is referred to as orthorexia nervosa from the Greek orthos, meaning “correct or right” and orexia, meaning “appetite.” It is the subject of growing academic research and has become an accepted diagnosis in the mental health community. A person with orthorexia nervosa has become so fixated on eating healthy food that this one goal begins to squeeze out and diminish other important dimensions of life. The purpose of our study was to study the psychological characteristics of persons with orthorexia for further development medical and psychological support