Strict health-oriented eating patterns (orthorexic eating behaviours) and their connection with a vegetarian and vegan diet

Anna Brytek-Matera,Monika Kornacka,Kamila Czepczor-Bernat,Helena Jurzak,Natalia Kołodziejczyk

doi:10.1007/s40519-018-0563-5

Anna Brytek-Matera, Monika Kornacka + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1007/s40519-018-0563-5

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Abstract

PurposeAlthough research on vegetarianism is becoming more prevalent, to date, only a few research has been conducted on relationship between vegetarian diet and orthorexia nervosa (ON). The objective of the present study was to examine the orthorexic dietary patterns and eating behaviours among individuals following a vegetarian, vegan, and meat diet. We examined the moderating role of ethical and health reasons for following a meat-free diet on the relation between vegan versus vegetarian diet and eating behaviours and ON. The study aimed to determine the predictors of ON in individuals with differential food preferences.MethodsSeventy-nine individuals following a meat-free diet and 41 individuals following an omnivore diet completed the EHQ and the TFEQ-R18.ResultsOur findings indicated that individuals following a vegan diet showed a higher level of knowledge of healthy eating than those who followed a vegetarian diet and those who followed an omnivore diet. Participants maintaining a vegan diet for health reasons were more likely to have greater knowledge about healthy eating. Cognitive restraint was a predictor of ON among a sample following a meat-free diet.ConclusionsOur results could contribute to identify potential risk factors for strict health-oriented eating patterns and to gain a better insight into ON.Level of evidenceLevel V, descriptive study.

Highlights

Vegetarianism is defined as the practice of abstaining from eating meat [1] based mainly on ethical, and healthrelated, aspects [2]
The results of the one-way ANOVA with group as an independent variable and Eating Habits Questionnaire (EHQ) dimensions as the outcome indicates that there is a significant group difference in orthorexia nervosa, especially in the particular dimensions linked to healthy eating, F(2,117) = 11.59, p < 0.001, η2 = 0.165; knowledge of healthy eating, F(2,117) = 19.35, p < 0.001, η2 = 0.249 and feeling positively about healthy eating, F(2,117) = 6.42, p < 0.01, η2 = 0.099
Our results suggested that individuals who followed a special diet reported more orthorexic behaviours

Summary

Introduction

Vegetarianism is defined as the practice of abstaining from eating meat [1] based mainly on ethical, and healthrelated, aspects [2]. This article is part of the topical collection on Orthorexia Nervosa. Orthorexia nervosa (ON) is defined as a fixation on health-conscious eating behaviour [9]. The first (formal) diagnostic criteria was developed by Moroze et al [10]. Dunn and Bratman [11] proposed more detailed classification criteria (Table 1). These reported criteria are new diagnostic criteria for ON, achieved after a critical review of published case histories, eating disorders professionals’ narrative descriptions, and numerous self-reports of orthorexia nervosa sending to Bratman’s website [11]. The previous criteria described by Bratman and Knight [12] have not been identified empirically,

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