Abstract
To date, research on the dietary patterns of individuals with potential orthorexic symptoms is lacking. This cross-sectional pilot study aimed to explore the feasibility of assessing dietary patterns with psychological traits and states of individuals with possible orthorexic tendencies. Dietary intakes of 10 individuals (two males and eight females) were assessed using 24-h recall. Mean age of participants was 28.3years; mean body mass index was 21.2kgm-2 . Nutrient intakes were compared with current dietary guidelines and the Eatwell Guide (Public Health England, 2016). Participants completed the ORTO-15, the Eating Attitude Test (EAT-26), the Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-Revised edition (OCI-R), Paulhus's Spheres of Control (SoC), the Rosenberg's Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) and the Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire (MBSRQ). High levels of disparity across participants' psychometric scores and 24-h recall results were observed. There was no single pattern of self-imposed dietary restrictions among participants. Described dietary practices failed to meet the guidelines for several nutrients. The results of this pilot study suggest that an extensive investigation of the diets of individuals with possible orthorexic tendencies in a large-scale study would contribute to the understanding of this condition. In addition, the use of multiple psychometric instruments is recommended for diagnosing orthorexic nervosa.
Highlights
Orthorexia nervosa (ON), referring to a pathological obsession with clean or healthy nutrition, was coined by Bratman in 1997 [1]
According to proposed diagnostic criteria [2,4], those with possible ON display restrictive dietary practices aimed at maximising health, which escalate over time potentially leading to social isolation and malnutrition
Participants were known to the research team from personal and professional contacts
Summary
Orthorexia nervosa (ON), referring to a pathological obsession with clean or healthy nutrition, was coined by Bratman in 1997 [1]. Studies of ON have focused on psychological aspects of eating behaviours and reported on the eating behaviours of various groups following specific diets The majority of such studies have explored whether vegetarian or vegan individuals were at increased risk of developing orthorexic tendencies [26]. They have used the same scale to measure ON [27], the findings have been inconsistent. Participants completed a psychometric assessment and reported their dietary intakes, which formed the basis for this study It aimed to explore whether there were possible commonalities in restrictive dietary practices between individuals in the context of their lives, as well as to investigate possible implications of dietary restrictions by comparing their intakes with recommendations
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