11/26/2025
Orthorexia nervosa is a pathological obsession with eating “clean” or “healthy” foods. People who have this condition focus on their diet so strictly (and so restrictively) that it takes both a physical and mental toll.
Behaviors associated with orthorexia typically include:
◾Engaging in restrictive or ritualized eating behaviors.
◾Creating and strictly following rules about which foods are and are not healthy.
◾Feeling guilty and anxious when confronted with foods that don’t fit these rules.
These behaviors share many characteristics with anorexia nervosa. The difference is that people living with anorexia restrict the quantity of the food they eat, whereas people living with orthorexia focus on the quality of the food.
There aren’t many studies that evaluate the effectiveness of treatments for orthorexia. But experts say cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) may help, especially an approach called “exposure and response prevention” that aims to reduce eating-related obsessions. It has been proven effective for conditions like OCD. This type of therapy involves slowly reintroducing you to foods you fear, while a trained therapist helps you learn to recognize and redirect your intrusive thoughts about food. They can also teach intuitive eating principles and mindfulness strategies.
