My spiral into into anorexia started off as something from good intentions. A lot of my early diet and exercise habits went unquestioned by my family and friends because they appeared healthy and desirable. It seemed as though I was taking charge of my healthy after a couple of years of comfort eating and laziness that I had developed, thanks to my GCSEs.
However, here is where the problem lies. Evidently, increasing numbers of young people are pushing their bodies and minds to the limit in the quest to avoid all processed, fattening food in displays of extreme self control with a growing desire for toned-ness and fitness which traipses across social media via influencers.
This clean eating movement is everywhere- from cauliflower rice to detox tea, from keto diets to gluten free everything. And there is a name for it: Orthorexia.
Orthorexia is characterised as having an obsession with proper nutrition accompanied by a restrictive diet, ritualised eating patterns and a rigid avoidance of foods that are considered impure. Sound familiar? That is because it shares common features with anorexia, occurring in perfectionists who get a sense of control over their body and health from having: eating restrictions rituals connected with meals, strict rules and remorse when they cannot meet the requirements of their diet. However, unlike anorexia, the focus is on quality and composition rather than calorific value and as a result weight loss is often an unintended outcome.
If my case had been flagged up earlier, I would not have been surprised if this label were used. But by then it was too late, I was on a mission to lose weight.
Despite sharing similar traits and results of anorexia, such as the inability to eat normally, lack of contempt for the physical body and malnutrition it is still championed by the media through the promotion of clean eating diet books and Instagram diet fads. Because of this, many health professionals are concerned that orthorexic beliefs are being accepted as the norm and leaving little room for people to seek psychological support with services which are already over stretched.
All dietitians (including mine) will argue that there should be no rules around eating - nutrition is a puzzle and when you take out a piece you risk not getting enough nutrients. Furthermore, no foods are purer than others; all are vital for our bodies to function, playing equally important but different roles.
So why have we bought into this lie? Why do I still believe in this lie?
Images on social media feed into our negative emotions and self worth, selling lifestyles through an absolutest narrative. What this all boils down to is money. All these influencers, diet writers and organisations have made a significant living in this market, and will continue to do so if we continue to buy into this tale.
Buying into this market feeds the neoliberal perspective on health care which is that only we are responsible for our health. We must be slim and pure because that is the norm.
But that is the white capitalist norm.
Since 2005, cases of orthorexia have been on the rise and are only contributing to the increasing demand of beds in eating disorder wards. We cannot let this trend continue. The pursuit of happiness is not entangled in food, but actually in working on ourselves.
I hope in writing this, I can help challenge why we latch onto these myths of health and purity and let go of the diet fads which torment us.
If you are concerned about a loved one or yourself, please call Beat: 0808 801 0711 or 0808 801 0677.
Lisle, R. (2016) “Orthorexia: slipping through the net.” Psychologist. http://web.b.ebscohost.com.oxfordbrookes.idm.oclc.org/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=1&sid=7822d00c-b534-4d89-bd8e-5e4486d14e2f%40sessionmgr101.
Olejniczak, D and Skonieczna, J. (2018) "Orthorexia nervosa in society." Journal of Education, Health and Sport. https://doaj.org/article/91b813fb081b4623acef9ff970f63c00.
Phelan, E. (2018) “An unhealthy obsession with healthy food” American Fitness. http://web.a.ebscohost.com.oxfordbrookes.idm.oclc.org/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=1&sid=64f1638d-e473-4404-ba2e-815d6c4bc345%40sessionmgr4006.
Comments