In today’s health rave a new eating disorder has been born. Orthorexia, when healthy living makes you sick.
Is it possible to eat too healthy? Can regular exercise turn into a bad obsession? According to, Hanna Kihlander – from the Swedish support group, “Frisk och fri” (Healthy and free) – we can become poorly by being too obsessed with being healthy.
Overseas, the new health rave has seen no boarders and protein drinks and marathons have become a regular part of the Swede’s life. Many uses apps on their mobile phones and the social media, to update their progress before and after a workout.
“Pictures and [social media] updates affect the person who already has a problem”, says Hanna Kihlander to the Swedish media network, SVT. “Many of those who contact us, make regular media searches for ‘#fitspo’. This hashtag give pictures of well trimmed bodies and works to remind the viewer of what their goal is”.
The orthorexic won’t exercise to stay healthy, but to avoid feeling bad about themselves. Orthorexia is also viewed as an obsession with exercising and it isn’t recognized as a mental disorder by the American Psychiatric Association. Instead, it’s counted as an eating disorder.
Yvonne Lin, is a health specialist and works with people who are suffering from Orthorexia in Sweden. “The difference between healthy and unhealthy behavior, isn’t measured by the amount you exercise, but by how you think about exercising”, Yvonne says to SVT.
“These patients panic when they have set plans to exercise, but cannot attend it”, Yvonne continues. “When they come to our clinic we have to turn off their Instagram and exercise apps on their phone. They have, simply, turned completely fixated”.
Yvonne points out that someone who is orthorexic isn’t obsessed with the amount they eat – like someone who is suffering from anorexia nervosa – but with how healthy their food is. Often only some foods are regarded as “safe” to eat and they will blame themselves if they always feel hungry. Rather than realizing that their food isn’t well balanced and doesn’t provide them with enough nutrition.
The consequence of having an unhealthy and an unbalanced obsession with food and exercise, is that the person starts to suffer from various problems. The most common are: bodily deterioration, strong anxiety, physical pains, compulsive behavior, self harm and sleeping problems.
Yvonne Lin also warns that the information which is spread by fitness people through the social media, is often misleading or untrue. “Health and exercise profiles rarely have the education which is needed to balance diet and exercise”.
Orthorexia is an obsession which excludes certain foods that are viewed to be unhealthy. It’s vital to see the difference between healthy individuals who follow different diets, and those who have an obsessive compulsive behavior that leads to a destructive lifestyle. The person who’s orthorexic has a severe exclusion of which foods they view as healthy and a compulsive need to exercise.
If you worry that you are suffering from Orthorexia, or fear that someone you know suffer from it, immediately contact your local health provider.
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