What is Orthorexia? Understanding When Healthy Eating Becomes an Obsession
- Stefanos Pagonidis
- Jul 24, 2025
- 3 min read
Understanding Eating Disorders
What is Orthorexia? When Healthy Eating Becomes an Obsession
Summary:
Orthorexia is a term used to describe an unhealthy preoccupation with eating foods that are perceived as “healthy”, “clean”, or “pure”. While wanting to eat well is common and often positive, orthorexia involves rigid rules and significant distress that can interfere with physical health, emotional wellbeing, and everyday life.
Although orthorexia is not currently a formal diagnosis in diagnostic manuals, it is widely recognised by clinicians as a disordered eating pattern that can cause serious harm and may overlap with other eating disorders or anxiety-related difficulties.
Understanding orthorexia
Orthorexia is driven less by weight or appearance and more by a belief that strict control over food is necessary for health or safety. Over time, this focus can become increasingly narrow and inflexible.
People experiencing orthorexia may feel:
A strong sense of anxiety around food choices
Pressure to follow self-imposed rules perfectly
Shame or guilt when those rules are broken
What often begins as an intention to “eat well” can gradually reduce quality of life and increase distress.
Common signs of orthorexia
Not everyone will experience orthorexia in the same way, but common patterns include the following.
A preoccupation with food quality
Spending a significant amount of time planning, researching, or preparing food
Focusing on ingredients, sourcing, or preparation methods rather than hunger or enjoyment
Increasing restriction
Avoiding whole food groups, such as carbohydrates, fats, sugar, or dairy
Rules becoming stricter over time, with fewer foods considered “acceptable”
Emotional distress around eating
Anxiety, guilt, or self-criticism after eating foods perceived as “unhealthy”
Feeling a strong need to compensate or regain control
Impact on daily life and relationships
Avoiding social situations that involve food
Difficulty eating outside the home or with others
Strain on relationships due to food-related rigidity
Physical health consequences
Nutritional deficiencies due to restricted intake
Fatigue, reduced concentration, or other health concerns related to under-nutrition
Risks associated with orthorexia
When eating becomes increasingly restrictive, several risks can develop.
Nutritional risk
Excluding food groups can lead to insufficient intake of essential nutrients, which are necessary for physical health, brain function, and emotional regulation.
Psychological impact
The ongoing pressure to “eat perfectly” can increase anxiety, obsessive thinking, and distress, particularly when control feels threatened.
Social isolation
Avoiding shared meals or social events can reduce support and increase loneliness, which may further reinforce disordered eating patterns.
Overlap with other conditions
Orthorexia can co-exist with other eating disorders, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive traits, or neurodivergent sensory needs, making careful assessment important.
How orthorexia is supported and treated
Support for orthorexia is usually individualised and guided by a thorough clinical assessment. Treatment focuses on both psychological and nutritional wellbeing, rather than forcing change.
Approaches may include:
Psychological therapy
Therapy can help explore beliefs about food, health, control, and safety, and support the development of more flexible and compassionate patterns of thinking and eating.
Dietetic support
Working with a specialist dietitian can help:
Restore nutritional balance
Reduce fear around food
Rebuild trust in eating based on body needs rather than rules
Gradual exposure and flexibility work
For some people, gently and collaboratively increasing flexibility around food choices can reduce anxiety over time.
Anxiety and regulation support
Techniques that support emotional regulation, such as grounding or mindfulness-based approaches, may be helpful alongside other interventions.
Support is always paced carefully and tailored to the individual.
When to seek professional support
If thoughts about food feel overwhelming, restrictive eating is increasing, or food rules are interfering with health or daily life, it may be helpful to seek professional input.
Early support can prevent patterns from becoming more entrenched and can help clarify whether orthorexia or another eating difficulty is present.
How we can help
At The Eating Disorders Clinic, we offer assessment-led, multidisciplinary support for individuals experiencing orthorexia and other eating difficulties. Our approach is collaborative, neurodiversity-informed, and focused on understanding each person’s unique experience.
You do not need to be certain about labels or diagnoses to seek support.
A gentle next step
If you would like to talk through concerns or understand what support might be appropriate, you are welcome to book a free initial call with our team.
You can also review our our clinicians page to understand how we work and what to expect before starting.
Author: Dr. Sara Parsi – Clinical Director, Lead Psychology at the Eating Disorders Clinic
References:
Treasure, J., Claudino, A. M., & Zucker, N. (2010). Eating disorders.
Fairburn, C. G., & Harrison, P. J. (2003). Eating disorders.
