The relationship between orthorexia nervosa symptomatology and body image attitudes and distortion

Adrianne Pauzé,Dave Saint-Amour,Caroline Blais,Caroline Cyr,Daniel Fiset,Marie-Pier Plouffe-Demers

doi:10.1038/s41598-021-92569-2

Adrianne Pauzé, Dave Saint-Amour + Show 4 more

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https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-92569-2

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Abstract

Orthorexia Nervosa (ON), a condition characterized by a fixation on healthy eating, still does not conform to any consensus concerning diagnostic criteria, notably in regard to a possible body image component. This study investigated the relationship between ON symptomatology, measured with the Eating Habit Questionnaire, and body image attitudes and body image distortion in a non-clinical sample. Explicit body image attitudes and distortion were measured using the Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire. Implicit body image attitudes and distortion were assessed using the reverse correlation technique. Correlational analyses showed that ON is associated with both explicit and implicit attitudes and distortion toward body image. More precisely, multivariate analyses combining various body image components showed that ON is mostly associated with explicit overweight preoccupation, explicit investment in physical health and leading a healthy lifestyle, and implicit muscularity distortion. These findings suggest that ON symptomatology is positively associated with body image attitudes and distortion in a non-clinical sample. However, further studies should be conducted to better understand how ON symptomatology relates to body image, especially among clinical samples.

Highlights

Orthorexia Nervosa (ON), a condition characterized by a fixation on healthy eating, still does not conform to any consensus concerning diagnostic criteria, notably in regard to a possible body image component
High Eating Habit Questionnaire (EHQ) scores were positively associated with a desire to have less body fat in one’s overall body, chest or breast area, abdomen area, hips area, the most unsatisfactory area, and be more muscular on the chest or breast and, possibly, the hips
Since positive reverse correlation scores are interpreted as an underestimation of perceived muscularity compared to the actual body, these results suggest that high EHQ scores were associated with an underestimation of abdomen muscularity

Summary

Introduction

Orthorexia Nervosa (ON), a condition characterized by a fixation on healthy eating, still does not conform to any consensus concerning diagnostic criteria, notably in regard to a possible body image component. Multivariate analyses combining various body image components showed that ON is mostly associated with explicit overweight preoccupation, explicit investment in physical health and leading a healthy lifestyle, and implicit muscularity distortion. These findings suggest that ON symptomatology is positively associated with body image attitudes and distortion in a non-clinical sample. It appears to be simultaneous with the emergence of individuals displaying extreme concern for healthy e ating[3] Such individuals showing an excessive preoccupation, or fixation, with eating food believed to be healthy are described as suffering from “Orthorexia Nervosa” (ON), a term that was first introduced by Steven B ratman[4]. Perceptual body image disturbance, commonly termed “body image distortion”, refers to a discrepancy between self-perceived appearance and actual appearance[14]

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