Orthorexic Tendencies Research Articles

Cross-cultural adaptation and psychometric properties of the Italian version of the Orthorexia Nervosa Inventory (ONI)

BackgroundOrthorexia Nervosa (ON) is an emerging clinical condition characterized by a pathological fixation with healthy eating. Recently, the Orthorexia Nervosa Inventory (ONI) has emerged as a promising tool for assessing orthorexic tendencies and behaviours, aiming to overcome the well-established limitations of existing measures for ON. The present study aimed to examine the psychometric properties of the Italian version of the ONI.MethodsA total of 879 participants (Mage = 33.22 years, SD = 9.19; 56.9% females) completed the ONI along with the Düsseldorf Orthorexia Scale (DOS), measures of disordered eating, obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCD), and psychosocial impairment. To establish the factorial validity of the ONI, a competing measurement modeling approach was employed by comparing standard confirmatory factor analytic (CFA) with exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM) solutions. Model-based omega coefficients were computed to examine the internal consistency of the scale. Factorial invariance tests across gender were conducted within a multi-group framework.ResultsA three-factor first-order ESEM solution provided the best and most parsimonious representation of the data: χ2(207) = 558.641, p < .001, RMSEA = 0.044 (90% CI 0.040–0.048), CFI = 0.976, TLI = 0.968, SRMR = 0.036. The three latent dimensions, labelled behaviors, emotions, and impairments, showed excellent internal consistency (ω > 0.88). Furthermore, ONI scores were found to be positively correlated with DOS scores, disordered eating, OCD symptoms, and psychosocial impairment, supporting its convergent and criterion validity. Eventually, the ONI was factorially invariant across gender.ConclusionsOverall, the present study provides evidence for the satisfactory psychometric properties of the ONI in the Italian context, endorsing its use in both clinical and research settings.

Perfectionism or Perfectionisms in Orthorexia Nervosa.

Purpose: Perfectionism is considered a transdiagnostic construct that characterises eating disorders (EDs) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and that could also depict orthorexia nervosa (ON). The principal aim of this study was to investigate what dimensions of perfectionism mostly represent ON. Moreover, it was evaluated if dieting impacted the presence of orthorexic features and perfectionistic behaviour. Methods: The sample consisted of two groups-the "Diet" (n = 93), and the "No Diet" (n = 94) groups-composed of people with high and low orthorexic tendencies, respectively. Participants filled out self-report questionnaires to investigate orthorexic tendencies and different facets of perfectionism. Results: Analyses highlighted that people with high orthorexic tendencies showed higher perfectionistic features and that ON had a significant relationship with different facets of perfectionism. No interactions with diet were found. Therefore, no other differences were highlighted when the group type (Diet/No Diet) was considered. Conclusions: Regardless of diet, different facets of perfectionism characterise ON: perfectionism as a personality trait and perfectionism related to EDs and to obsessive-compulsive features. Our results evidenced that perfectionism could also be considered a useful construct in the conceptualization of orthorexia nervosa.

Vegan and vegetarian males and females have higher orthorexic traits than omnivores, and are motivated in their food choice by factors including ethics and weight control.

Evidence associating plant-based diets with the proposed 'obsessively healthy eating' eating disorder, orthorexia nervosa, has mostly focused on females. Diet motivations have seldom been assessed. To compare orthorexic tendencies between vegans/vegetarians and omnivores of both sexes, and reasons behind food choice with an English-validated Food Choice Questionnaire. A cross-sectional survey of 444 males and females were recruited via social media, email, and Amazon MTurk; to investigate eating patterns, orthorexic tendencies using the ORTO-15 questionnaire, and eating motivations using the Food Choice Questionnaire. Over half of the participants were male (53.4%), younger adults (mean ± SD 37.2 ± 11.2 years), and mostly from the United States (89%). Vegan and vegetarian eating habits were reported by 15.8% of people. Vegans/vegetarians had significantly higher orthorexic tendencies than omnivores, and chose food significantly more often for Weight Control, Ethical Concern, Natural Content, and Mood reasons. People with greater orthorexic tendencies (ORTO-15 score<35) chose food significantly more often for Weight Control and Ethical Concern reasons than those with less orthorexic tendencies (ORTO-15 score 35+). This study's results are in line with the majority of the evidence that shows an association between vegan/vegetarian diets and orthorexic tendencies, but strengthens the evidence base by including more male participants. Additionally, this is the first study to use an English-validated motivation-based questionnaire that explored diet motivators in vegans/vegetarians compared to omnivories, and in those with orthorexic tendencies vs. those without orthorexic tendencies.

Prevalence of Orthorexic Tendencies and Their Correlates Among Lebanese Patients with Cancer.

Individuals with cancer face daily challenges regarding diet and healthy lifestyle behaviors that may lead them to better health. This quest for improved health can be exaggerated in unhealthy ways if it is not approached with moderation as occurs with a condition called orthorexia nervosa (ON). Our aim in this study was to determine the prevalence of ON tendencies and their behavioral correlates among Lebanese adults with cancer. This was a monocentric cross-sectional study, conducted between December 2021 and February 2022, involving 366 patients. We collected data via telephone and recorded answers online on a Google form. We used the Düsseldorf Orthorexia Scale (DOS) to assess orthorexic behaviors, and we checked for behavioral correlates of orthorexia through a linear regression model using the DOS score as the dependent variable. On the DOS scale, we found that 9% of these participants showed possible ON tendencies, whereas 22.2% had definite ON tendencies. Factors associated with having more ON tendencies were (a) receipt of hormonotherapy, (b) being female and (c) having breast cancer. Having prostate cancer was significantly associated with fewer ON tendencies. Our results should help improve the management of patients with cancer through programs to increase patient awareness and education.

Orthorexia and Eating Attitudes in Health Sciences Students

ABSTRACT Background: The prevalence of eating disorders and orthorexia nervosa has steadily increased and this situation may lead to severe physical, psychological, and social disorders. Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of disordered eating attitudes and orthorexia tendencies among university students studying in various Health Sciences departments in Turkey. Subjects and Methods: The study subjects were selected from Health Sciences Faculty students. Among the students who accepted the study, 639 people were reached by simple random sampling method. The EAT-40 and ORTO-15 which are validated instruments for the screening of abnormal eating behaviors and orthorexia nervosa respectively, were used as measurement tools. Results: The majority of the students who participated in the study were found to exhibit orthorexic tendencies, and male students had a higher orthorexic tendency in comparison to female students (p = 0.022). More specifically, the students studying in the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics had lower orthorexic tendencies compared with the students from other departments. There was no significant relationship between BMI values and the mean ORTO-15 scores, whereas the mean EAT-40 score was found to increase statistically significantly with increased BMI (p = 0.038). There was a statistically significant difference between the departments and classes in terms of mean EAT-40 scores, whereas no difference was found regarding gender. Conclusion: Orthorexia nervosa is a common problem for university students studying in health-related departments. Interestingly, the orthorexic tendencies of girls and students studying in the Nutrition and Dietetics department were found to be lower in this study. It was determined that all students except the Nutrition and Dietetics department had orthorexia tendencies. More comprehensive studies are needed to better understand orthorexia nervosa and healthy lifestyle interaction.

The factors associated with orthorexia nervosa in type 2 diabetes and their effect on diabetes self-management scores

PurposeThis study aimed to determine the factors affecting the ORTO-R scores in individuals with T2DM and to investigate their effect on diabetes self-management.MethodsThe study included 373 individuals with type 2 diabetes between the ages of 18–65 who applied to Akdeniz University Hospital Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases Polyclinic between January and May 2022. A questionnaire including sociodemographic data, information about diabetes, and nutritional habits, and the ORTO-R and Type 2 Diabetes Self-Management Scales were used to collect data. Linear regression analysis was performed to determine the factors affecting ORTO-R.ResultsThe linear regression analysis showed that age, gender, education level, and duration of diabetes affected ORTO-R scores in patients with type 2 diabetes. Body mass index, comorbidities (cardiovascular diseases, kidney diseases and hypertension), diabetes-related complications, diabetes treatment method and dieting had no significant contribution to the model (p > 0.05). We also found that education level, comorbidities, diabetes-related complications, diabetes treatment method, dieting, and BMI can affect diabetes self-management.ConclusionIt should be kept in mind that type 2 diabetes are at risk of orthorexia nervosa (ON) in terms of various aspects such as age, gender, education level and duration of diabetes. Since the factors affecting the risk of ON and the factors affecting diabetes self-management are intertwined, orthorexic tendencies should be kept under control while trying to increase self-management in these patients. In this respect, developing individual recommendations according to the psychosocial characteristics of patients may be an effective approach.Level of evidenceLevel V, cross-sectional study.

The effect of social media use on orthorexia nervosa: a sample from Turkey.

Objectives: the current study evaluated the orthorexic tendencies of social media users and the factors affecting these tendencies. Methods: a total of 2526 adult participants (696 male and 1830 female, 28.4 ± 10.3 years) completed a questionnaire that includes personal information, the Orthorexia Nervosa Scale (ORTO-11), the Social Media and Eating Behavior Scale (SMEB), and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form (IPAQ). Body mass index (BMI) was calculated from the reported weight and height of the participants. Independent-sample t-tests or chi-square tests were computed to evaluate various information of the participants according to the ON tendency. A binary logistic regression analysis was used to identify risk factors. Results: according to ORTO-11, 56.1 % of the participants had a tendency to ON, and the trend to ON increased with age and BMI (p < 0.05). People without ON tendency spent more time (172.2 ± 119.9 min/day) on social media. Participants who followed webpages with healthy nutrition and sport-exercise recommendations had an increased ON risk when compared to those who did not follow those pages (p < 0.05). In addition, although there was a significant difference between participants in physical activity level according to the ON tendency, this relationship was not significant in the regression model (p > 0.05). Conclusion: this study indicates that increasing social media usage, especially web pages that include health and nutrition recommendations, may boost the tendency to ON. Thus, raising awareness of social media may be beneficial to people who have a tendency to ON.

Analysis of eating behavior of health science students in terms of emotional eating and restrained eating

Background. Two eating phenomena are associated with emotions and chronic stress: restrained eating and emotional eating. Restrained eating is defined as restricting food intake to control weight and mainly refers to the amount of food eaten. Emotional eating, on the other hand, focuses on eating in response to negative emotions. the literature emphasizes that people with orthorexia have significantly higher levels of stress, depression, and anxiety and lower life satisfaction than healthy individuals. Objective. The purpose of the conducted research was to assess the prevalence of emotionally driven eating behavior and restrained eating among health science students. The premise of the study was also to test whether there was a significant relationship between emotional eating and restrained eating and orthorectic behavior. Material and methods. The study was conducted among 200 randomly selected students of health sciences (dietetics and physical education). The TFEQ-13 and DOS scales were used in the study. Results and conclusions. Based on the study, it was concluded that there is no relationship between the occurrence of emotional eating and orthorexia in the studied group of people associated with health sciences. However, the hypothesis of the existence of these associations between restrained eating and the occurrence of orthorexia was supported. The group of restrained eaters was shown to include individuals with severe behaviors indicative of orthorexic tendencies or a full picture of the disorder.

Effectors of Pregorexia and Emesis among Pregnant Women: A Pilot Study.

During pregnancy, women tend to improve their lifestyle habits and refine their dietary intake. Quite often, however, these dietary improvements take an unhealthy turn, with orthorexia nervosa (ON) practices being apparent. The aim of the present pilot cross-sectional study was to assess the prevalence of ON tendencies and the incidence of pica and record diet practices in a sample of pregnant women. A total of 157 pregnant women were recruited through private practice gynecologists during the first months of 2021. Nutrition-related practices were recorded, orthorexic tendencies were assessed using the translated and culturally adapted Greek version of the ORTO-15 questionnaire, pica practices were evaluated with a binary question and nausea and emesis during pregnancy (NVP) was evaluated using the translated modified Pregnancy-Unique Quantification of Emesis and Nausea (mPUQE). Only two women reported pica tendencies, with ice and snow being the consumed items. The majority (61.1%) of women reported improving their diet since conception was achieved. Folic acid and iron oral nutrient supplements (ONS) were reportedly consumed by the majority of participants (87.9% and 72.6%, respectively) and 9.6% reported using herbal medicine products. The ORTO-15 score was reduced with tertiary education attainment, ART conception, being in the third trimester of pregnancy, consumption of folic acid and MV supplements and was only increased among women who were at their first pregnancy. The majority of participants experienced severe NVP and the remaining experienced moderate NVP. NVP was associated with lower hemoglobin levels, lack of supplementary iron intake, avoidance of gluten-containing foods, as well as with increased gestational weight gain. The results highlight the need to screen pregnant women for disturbed eating behaviors and nutrition-related problems, in order to ensure a healthy pregnancy outcome.

Diet Quality and Level of Nutrition Knowledge among Young People with Orthorexic Tendencies.

The aim of the study was to determine the level of nutrition knowledge and diet quality, understood in terms of healthy and unhealthy eating habits, among young people with orthorexic tendencies. The participants were school students, university students, and those employed in the Lublin region (N = 473). The data were collected by means of a questionnaire. The participants were asked to provide socio-demographic data through filling in the ORTO-15 questionnaire and the Dietary Habits and Nutrition Beliefs Questionnaire (KomPAN). The participants obtained results ranging from 9.3 to 100 (M = 31.15; SD = 11.81) in the non-healthy diet index, from 0.4 to 78.6 in the pro-healthy diet index (M = 21.79; SD = 11.08), and from 0 to 23 in the domain of nutrition knowledge (M = 13; SD = 4.23). A variance analysis showed no significant differences between the pro-healthy diet index and the level of nutrition knowledge. The group with orthorexia obtained statistically higher results in the pro-healthy diet index. Those with a tendency toward orthorexia obtained statistically higher results in the non-healthy diet index. The variance analysis showed that the level of nutrition knowledge of those not focused on healthy foods was significantly lower than in the other groups. The results of the ORTO-15 questionnaire correlated negatively with the pro-healthy diet index and the level of nutrition knowledge, and positively with the non-healthy diet index. We concluded that: 1. the orthorexic group and the group with a tendency toward orthorexia could be characterized with a moderate intensity of a healthy diet and a low intensity of a non-healthy diet; and 2. the level of nutrition knowledge in the orthorexic group did not significantly differ from that of the other groups.

Comparison of exercise dependence, eating attitude disorder and risk of orthorexia nervosa among regular students and student athletes

Objective: Exercise dependence and eating disorders are growing up among university students. This study aimed to compare exercise dependence, eating attitude, and orthorexic tendencies between regular students and student athletes. Material and Methods: A total of 168 students, 66 of whom were athletes participated in this study. Participants completed Exercise Dependence Scale-21 (EDS-21), Eating Attitude Test-40 (EAT-40), and Orthorexia Nervosa-11 (ORTO-11) scales. Anthropometric measurements were performed by the researchers. The data were analyzed using the SPSS version 25 and the significance level was accepted as p&lt;0.05. Results: While there were no students with exercise dependence among regular students, 10.6% of the student athletes were found to be exercise dependent (p&lt;0.001). Orthorexic tendencies of student athletes were found to be higher (p=0.045). There was no significant difference between the groups in terms of eating attitude disorder (p=0.253). The EDS-21 scores were moderately positively correlated with the orthorexic tendency (r=0.446) and the EAT-40 scores (r=0.397) (for each p&lt;0.05). Sports experience was also associated with exercise dependence (r=0.363) and orthorexic tendency (r=0.195) (p&lt;0.05). Conclusion: Student athletes, especially those with a longer sports experience are at higher risk of exercise dependence and have higher orthorexic tendencies compared to regular students. Health professionals who involve in the sports teams should be aware of these risks and monitor the students in terms of exercise dependence and orthorexia nervosa.

Orthorexic tendencies and the structure of achievement motivation in young people in Poland

ObjectivesStudies on the psychological aspects of orthorexia nervosa are scarce. What has been studied to date is the correlation between orthorexia nervosa and self-esteem, perfectionism, and personality. The aim of this study is to verify whether patients suffering from orthorexia or those who have a tendency for orthorexia differ in terms of achievement motivation from a healthy control group. MethodsThe study was conducted in the group of 252 medical students. The study relied on the ORTO-15 questionnaire, Eating Attitudes Test-26, and Inventory of Achievement Motivation (Leistungsmotivationsinventar). ResultsPatients with a tendency for orthorexia showed higher results in terms of preference of challenging tasks, belief in success, motivation to learn, goal orientation, compensatory effort, care for prestige, achievement satisfaction, and general achievement motivation, as well as self-confidence and ambition. ConclusionsPatients who suffer from orthorexia differ from those in the control group in terms of achievement motivation. In some respect, their results are parallel to those obtained from girls with anorexia readiness syndrome, which can lead to the conclusion that both orthorexia and anorexia belong to the spectrum of eating disorders.

The role of eating disorders features, psychopathology, and defense mechanisms in the comprehension of orthorexic tendencies

PurposeRecent studies pointed out the importance to distinguish orthorexia nervosa (ON) from non-problematic forms of interest with healthy eating. This distinction needs to be further explored since it may favor a better comprehension of the relationship between orthorexic behaviors and psychopathology and lead to an improved understanding of the psychological processes implicated in ON. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to investigate the associations between ON and the core features of eating disorders (EDs), psychopathological symptoms and defense mechanisms, by differentiating three groups of individuals: an ON symptoms group, a healthy-eating control group, and a normal-eating control group.MethodsCollege students (n = 270, Mage = 21.57, SD = 2.16) were recruited from Palermo’s University, in the south of Italy, and were assigned to three groups: 52 in the ON symptoms group, 157 in the healthy-eating control group and 61 in the normal-eating control group. Participants completed four questionnaires assessing ON (EHQ-21), eating psychopathology (EDI-3), psychopathological symptoms (BSI) and defense mechanisms (DSQ-40).ResultsCompared to the control groups, the ON symptoms group reported greater EDs’ features, higher psychopathological symptoms and greater employment of different neurotic and immature defense mechanisms. No differences were found between groups with regard to obsessive–compulsive symptoms.ConclusionOur findings support the notion that ON behaviors should be carefully distinguished from non-problematic forms of interest with healthy eating. Indeed, results suggest that ON individuals are characterized by similar clinical features and defensive functioning as those observed in traditional EDs, indicating the importance of deepening our understanding of the relationship between these conditions.Level of evidenceLevel V, descriptive cross-sectional study.

The relationships between Orthorexia nervosa, social appearance anxiety and women’s self-esteem: A cross-sectional study

Objectives: It is known that eating disorders and desire to be thin are more common in women. It was also stated that social appearance anxiety and self-esteem in women may be associated with eating disorders. This study aimed to identify the relationships between Orthorexia nervosa, social appearance anxiety and women’s self-esteem. Material and methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted with 222 women. Results and Discussion: The study determined a mean score on the Orthorexia Scale. It determined that 27% of the women had orthorexic tendencies, and that the orthorexic tendencies of those who were worried about gaining weight were lower than those who were not worried about gaining weight. There was a negative and statistically significant relationship between the social appearance anxiety scale (SAAS) and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES). Conclusion: Health professionals should be informed about Orthorexia nervosa. At-risk groups should undergo screening, necessary precautions should be taken, and the condition should be treated. Bangladesh Journal of Medical Science Vol. 21 No. 03 July’22 Page: 675-681

The role of dieting, psychopathological characteristics and maladaptive personality traits in Orthorexia Nervosa

BackgroundPursuing a healthy diet is not a dysfunctional behavior, but dieting could be an important etiological factor for Orthorexia Nervosa (ON). The aim of this study was to investigate the role of diet in groups with high/low orthorexic tendencies. Moreover, some psychopathological characteristics associated with ON and maladaptive personality traits were investigated.MethodsThe sample consisted of three groups: two were on a diet and had high (HIGH-D; n = 52) or low (LOW-D; n = 41) orthorexic tendencies. The other was composed of people with high orthorexic tendencies not on a diet (HIGH; n = 40). Participants filled out self-report questionnaires to investigate orthorexic tendencies, eating disorders features, obsessive–compulsive symptoms, perfectionism, depressive/anxious symptomatology, and maladaptive personality traits.ResultsThe HIGH-D group showed more orthorexic tendencies than the HIGH group. More maladaptive personality traits and anxiety symptoms have been highlighted in HIGH and HIGH-D groups. The HIGH group had more eating disorder characteristics than other groups. Only the HIGH-D group showed more depressive symptoms than the LOW-D group.ConclusionsThe features of HIGH and LOW-D groups suggest that diet alone could not explain ON, even if it could be a possible factor related to ON. Therefore, people with high orthorexic tendencies, psychopathological features, and maladaptive personality traits could be in a prodromic condition for disordered eating habits and deserve clinical attention.

Preliminary screening for orthorexia nervosa in undergraduate student population of north India using ORTO-15 questionnaire

Orthorexia is a term used for “obsession for healthy and proper nutrition”. ON is a recently identified disorder and prevalence studies are mainly limited to Eurasian and Scandanavian countries. There is a paucity of literature currently available for Asian population and more specifically for the Indian population. Therefore, the present study was designed to estimate the prevalence of Orthorexia Nervosa in Indian population. To estimate the prevalence of ON in young North Indian population and to highlight its characteristics. The study population consisted of 448 young students (males=173, females=275). The ORTO-15 questionnaire developed by Donini et al. was used to determine the prevalence. Subjects who scored below 40 were classified as having ON. : Mean score of the participants in the ORTO-15 was using a 40 point threshold. A total of three fourth of the young students in the study group exhibited orthorexic tendency. High prevalence of ON in young students necessitates that Orthorexia Nervosa trends in general population be assessed in Indian subcontinent for better understanding of eating disorders and its interplay with socio-cultural diversities.

Validation of the Arabic version of the Dusseldorf Orthorexia Scale (DOS) among Lebanese adolescents

BackgroundOrthorexia Nervosa (ON) is defined as a pathological preoccupation characterized by obsessive beliefs and compulsive behaviors regarding 'pure' eating behaviors. Many scales have been established and display good results regarding reliability and validity measures, including but not limited to ORTO-R (revised version of ORTO-15), Eating Habits Questionnaire, Teruel Orthorexia Scale (TOS) and the Düsseldorf Orthorexia Scale (DOS). Among these, the DOS seems to be a promising measure for multiple reasons. The current paper aims to validate the DOS, a measure of ON, in a non-Western population of Lebanese adolescents.MethodsThis was a cross-sectional designed study, conducted between May and June 2020, which enrolled 555 adolescents (15–18 years old; 75.7% females). Due the coronavirus pandemic outbreak, the data were gathered through snowball sampling using an online questionnaire. The DOS, TOS and ORTO-R scales were used in this study to screen for orthorexic tendencies and behaviors.ResultsWe tested four competing structural models of the DOS assessing its factorial validity. The results of the current investigation revealed that the one-factorial model is the best one to represent the structure of the questionnaire. We provided evidence for validity for the DOS through demonstrating that it correlates significantly with other measures of orthorexic behaviours (Teruel Orthorexia Scale and ORTO-R). Finally, we have gathered evidence that the orthorexic behaviours as measured by DOS are not associated with age (r = −.02; p = .589), household crowding index (r = .02; p = .578), and Body Mass Index (r = .04; p = .297). Yet, females as compared to males achieved higher scores (M = 20.07, SD = 6.38 vs M = 18.29, SD = 6.37; p = .005; d = .28).ConclusionThe Arabic version of the DOS seems to be a structurally valid and internally consistent questionnaire measuring orthorexic eating behavior in a sample of Lebanese adolescents. This tool may be useful for psychologists, psychiatrists, dietitians and other clinicians in the assessment and the treatment of the multidimensional nature of ON.

Prevalence and Relationship of Orthorexia Nervosa with Self-Esteem and Lifestyle Satisfaction in Indian Married Women

Orthorexia nervosa is an eating disorder revolving around an unhealthy obsession with eating healthy and the quality and nutritional value of the food. Through review of available studies on orthorexia nervosa a gap in knowledge is established, especially in context of India. It has also been found to be more prevalent in women and to be overlapping with other eating disorders and mental health issues. Further the difference in the cognitive ideation of other eating disorders and orthorexia nervosa is highlighted to explain the difference in the associating factors of the disorder from that of general factors often studied in light of eating disorders like Anorexia Nervosa etc. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of Orthorexia Nervosa in Indian married women. The purpose here is also to elaborate and explore the relationship of self-esteem and lifestyle satisfaction with orthorexia nervosa. A sample of 128 Indian married women is taken from different parts of the country and is administered through an online survey. The survey consists of three questionnaires namely, ORTO-15 by Donini and colleagues for assessing orthorexic tendencies, Satisfaction with life scale (SWLS) by Diener for assessing lifestyle satisfaction and Rosenberg’s self-esteem questionnaire by Rosenberg for assessing self-esteem levels in the sample group. The data is analyzed for calculating Bivariate correlation (Pearson’s constant) as well as simple linear regression to establish the nature of relationship between self-esteem and orthorexia nervosa and lifestyle satisfaction and orthorexia nervosa. The results indicate a high prevalence of orthorexia nervosa in the sample with an average of 89.80% of the total sample showing orthorexic tendencies. Further through correlational analysis, no linear relationship was found between self-esteem and orthorexia nervosa (r = -0.17, p>0.05) as well as lifestyle satisfaction and orthorexia nervosa (r = -0.052, p>0.05). Lastly simple linear regression of the variables against orthorexia nervosa indicates a lack of linear relationship of self-esteem (R Square = 0.0003) and lifestyle satisfaction (R Square = 0.0029) with orthorexia nervosa. A high prevalence of Orthorexia Nervosa can be concluded in the sample of Indian married women with no linear relationship with self-esteem and lifestyle satisfaction. This study acts to fill the gap in knowledge around Orthorexia Nervosa in India and encourages to study further associates of the disorder in different sample groups.

Orthorexia Nervosa: differences between clinical and non-clinical samples

BackgroundOrthorexia Nervosa (ON) is a construct characterized by behaviors, emotions, and beliefs on eating healthy food and excessive attention to diet; moreover, dieting has been considered a risk factor in ON symptoms development. The principal aim of this study was to investigate the differences in clinical and non-clinical groups most at risk of ON. Aspects that could be associated with ON (Eating Disorders [EDs], obsessive-compulsive symptomatology, perfectionistic traits, anxiety, depression, Body Mass Index [BMI]) were investigated in all groups.MethodsThe sample consisted of 329 adults belonging to four different groups. Three were on a diet: Anorexia/Bulimia Nervosa group (N = 90), Obesity/Binge Eating Disorder group (N = 54), Diet group (N = 91). The Control group consisted of people who were not following a diet (N = 94). Participants completed several self-administered questionnaires (EHQ-21, EDI-3, OCI-R, MPS, BAI, BDI-II) to assess ON-related features in different groups.ResultsAnalyses highlighted higher orthorexic tendencies in Anorexia/Bulimia Nervosa, Obesity/BED, and Diet groups than in the Control group. Moreover, results have shown that in the AN/BN group, eating disorders symptomatology and a lower BMI were related to ON and that in Obesity/Binge Eating Disorder and Diet groups, perfectionism traits are associated with ON.ConclusionIndividuals who pursue a diet share some similarities with those who have an eating disorder regarding emotions, behaviors, and problems associated with orthorexic tendencies. Moreover, perfectionistic traits seem to predispose to higher ON tendencies. In general, these results confirm the ON as an aspect of the main eating disorders category.

ORTHOREXIA AND EATING ATTITUDES IN HEALTH SCIENCES STUDENTS ORTHOREXIA IN HEALTH SCIENCES STUDENTS

Background: Investigating eating disorders and orthorexia nervosa, especially in the young population, is an important step in taking protective precautions and identifying disease Objective: To Investigate the incidence of disordered eating attitudes and orthorexia tendencies in&nbsp; among university students studying in various Health Sciences departments in Turkey. Methods: A total of 639 second and third year university students participated in this study. The EAT-40 and ORTO-15 that are validated instruments for the screening of abnormal eating behaviors and orthorexia nervosa respectively, were used as measurement tools. Results: Majority of&nbsp; the students who participated in the study were found to exhibit orthorexic tendency, and that male students had a more orthorexic tendency in comparison to female students (p = 0.022). More specifically, the students studying in the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics had lower orthorexic tendencies compared with the students from other departments. There was no significant relationship between BMI values and the mean ORTO-15 scores, whereas the mean EAT-40 score was found to increase statistically significantly with increased BMI &nbsp;&nbsp;(p = 0.038). There was a statistically significant difference between the departments and classes in terms of mean EAT-40 scores, whereas no difference was found regarding gender. Conclusion: All students except the Nutrition and Dietetics department show orthorexic tendency. The EAT-40 scores of the participants were 16.0 (low risk) for the whole sample. More comprehensive studies are needed to better understand the orthorexia nervosa and healthy lifestyle interaction.