45. Orthorexia Nervosa in the Adolescent Population

Orthorexia nervosa (ON) is a pathological obsession with healthy eating that may lead to protein-calorie malnutrition, yet ON is not a formal medical or psychiatric diagnosis. There is increasing interest surrounding ON as new dieting tactics have emerged including those involving “clean eating.” It is our assumption that patients with eating disorders demonstrate more orthorexic tendencies, but that ON symptoms are present in both patients with eating disorders and in the general adolescent (GA) population.
Source: Journal of Adolescent Health - Category: Child Development Authors: Source Type: research