Eating Healthy Can Lead to Obsession

When you think about eating disorders, most of us are familiar with anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, or binge eating, but did you know that there’s a new eating disorder that has emerged within the last 10 years?

It’s orthorexia nervosa, also known as the "healthy eating" disorder.

Zanesville-Muskingum County Health Department Dr. Vicki Whitacre says there are no reported cases of this eating disorder in our area. She says it seems to be more of a problem in Europe, but we could see more cases in the future as people try to become more health conscious.

"People become so obsessed that they eat correctly and eat food, like organic foods that are healthy, that they become obsessed with it, " says Whitacre.

The idea is not to lose weight but to become fresh and pure. Yet, in the process, this obsession starts to interfere with the enjoyment of life.

"It’s described that they will spend at least three hours a day writing out and planning their menu. That’s a long time commitment to what you’re going to eat for the day. It’s longer than the time you actually spend eating, " says Whitacre.

The medical community and other organizations want people to know about the dangers of these eating habits, during "Eating Disorders Awareness Week," which continues through Saturday. If not treated, some eating disorders can lead to death.