Abstract
Orthorexia nervosa (ON) has been defined as an obsessive and pathological attitude towards healthy nutrition. The aim of this study was to compare individuals who followed a vegan, vegetarian, and omnivore diet in terms of ON behaviors and to examine their prime motivations, attitudes, and behaviors towards food. The Spanish version of the ORTO-15 test — ORTO-11-ES — and the Food Choice Questionnaire (FCQ-SP) were used with a demographic questionnaire in an online survey disseminated among the social networks of different vegetarian associations and the general population. Of 466 individuals, 55% followed an omnivore diet, 23.5% were vegetarian and 21.7% were vegan. Results revealed relationships between type of diet and FCQ-SP dimensions for: health and natural content (H = 8.7, p < 0.05), sensory appeal (H = 11.4, p < 0.01), weight control (H = 40.4, p < 0.01), and familiarity (H = 37.3, p < 0.01). Our results confirm the findings of recent studies showing that individuals who follow a vegan or vegetarian diet are more likely to develop a pathological preoccupation with healthy eating versus omnivores. Further studies are required to determine the potential lines of action for the prevention of ON.
Highlights
IntroductionAn individual’s diet and lifestyle have important implications on many health-related aspects
An individual’s diet and lifestyle have important implications on many health-related aspects.The number of individuals who choose to adopt different types of diets is increasing; a trend that stems from several reasons, including a compassion towards animals, the desire to protect the environment, or to prevent or treat certain illnesses [1,2]
A total of 466 individuals agreed to participate in the survey, of these 54.9% followed an omnivore diet, 23.4% were vegetarian, and 21.7% were vegan
Summary
An individual’s diet and lifestyle have important implications on many health-related aspects. The number of individuals who choose to adopt different types of diets is increasing; a trend that stems from several reasons, including a compassion towards animals, the desire to protect the environment, or to prevent or treat certain illnesses [1,2]. Vegetarian diets include an array of dietary patterns and, generally, there is no consumption of animal protein, red meat, poultry and/or fish. Lacto-ovo vegetarians include dairy and eggs in their diet, whereas vegans exclude all meat or animal derived products. Certain studies include other categories of vegetarians, such as semi vegetarians or pescatarians, who include limited amounts of meat and/or fish in their diets [3].
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