We’ve all heard about eating disorders before, whether is
anorexia nervosa or bullemia, and we are all aware that eating disorders are a
growing concern in the female, as well as, the male population. However; there’s a new eating disorder on the
rise that several people are unaware of, and it’s called orthorexia nervosa. For my third installment of In the News, I came across a CNN Health
news article called Orthorexia: When Healthy Eating Becomes an Obsession. According to the article, “Orthorexia is
characterized by disordered eating fueled by a desire for ‘clean’ or ‘healthy’
foods. Those diagnosed with the
condition are overly pre-occupied with the nutritional makeup of what they
eat. They rigidly avoid any food they
deem to be ‘unhealthy,’ or spend excessive amounts of time and money in search
of the ‘most pure’ foods.”
There is, however, a fine line between eating well and
eating obsessively. Because of the lack of
information and research on orthorexia, it is unclear how widespread this
disorder is. Signs of orthorexic individuals
include heavy spending on “pure” foods as well as eating unbalanced meals. According to an individual who had suffered
from orthorexia, “Orthorexic eating becomes almost like a religion. It becomes a position instead of a
preference. You can’t eat out with a
friend. You can’t go to the party. You have to bring your own food wherever you
go.” That is the key difference between
obsessive eating and eating well.
As an athletic trainer, we must be able to recognize eating
disorders amongst our athletes. In order
to have a better chance at recognizing and helping and individual with an
eating disorder we must work hard at forming and keeping a respectful
relationship with our athletes. If our
athletes trust and feel comfortable around us, the chances of them seeking help
and guidance are greatly increased. We
must also be able to recognize the signs and symptoms of every eating disorder
and pay attention to the dietary habits of our athletes. In terms of orthorexia, we must be able to
identify the difference between eating obsessed and eating well. Our scope of practice doesn’t allow us to
diagnose and treat eating disorders, but it does give us the opportunity to be
able to identify the potential of one.
We must refer the athlete to a qualified individual who specializes in
disordered eating.
The following is a good questionnaire you can ask an athlete to determine if they should seek help...
If you identify with two or more of the following traits, you may want to seek out a nutritionist or counselor. (According to Thomas Dunn (Associate professor of Psychology at the University of Northern Colorado)).
• You consume a nutritionally unbalanced diet because of concerns about "food purity."
• You're preoccupied about how eating impure or unhealthy foods will affect your physical or emotional health.
• You rigidly avoid any food you deem to be "unhealthy," such as those containing fat, preservatives, additives or animal products.
• You spend three or more hours per day reading about, acquiring or preparing certain kinds of food you believe to be "pure."
• You feel guilty if you eat foods you believe to be "impure."
• You're intolerant of other's food beliefs.
• You spend an excessive proportion of your income on "pure" foods.
If you recognize any of the above behaviors in yourself, seeking the help of a medical professional should be your first step. Reclaiming balance isn't easy, but some of these tips might help:
• Seek a compromise. Even if you're stuck at a place where there's seemingly "nothing to eat," you can still find a way to take care of yourself -- even if that means grabbing a fast-food salad, says Krongberg.
• Stop demonizing foods as "good" or "bad" and visit a nutritionist to sort through the clutter of conflicting health advice around you, says Angela Ginn, spokeswoman for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
• See a therapist to deal with the emotional components of eating disorders, such as poor self-esteem or a need to feel in control.
