orthorexia

American  

[awr-thuh-rek-see-uh] / ˌɔr θə ˈrɛk si ə /

Also orthorexia nervosa

noun

1. an obsession with eating foods that are considered healthy, especially when accompanied by an obsessive aversion to, or even fear of, foods that are considered unhealthy.

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orthorexia British  

/ ˈɔːθəˌrɛksɪə /

noun

1. a disorder characterized by a morbid obsession with eating healthy foods only

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Other Word Forms

• orthorexic
  adjective

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Etymology

Origin of orthorexia

orth(o)- ( def. ) + -orexia ( def. ); coined by Steven Bratman, U.S. physician, in 1997

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

orthorexia

Given the constant stream of content about which foods to avoid, it’s easy to see how orthorexia can flourish.

From Slate ● May 25, 2025

For the Milla character, Strauss researched orthorexia, an eating disorder in which people are obsessed with “healthy” food, and also delved into the history of alternative medicine retreats like the one Milla visits in Mexico.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 6, 2025

One example comes from social media and its influence on people with orthorexia nervosa, a harmful obsession with a diet that’s perceived to be healthy.

From Scientific American ● Jul. 25, 2023

Researchers note that such moralizing can lead to the development of eating disorders like orthorexia, or a fixation on eating "correct" foods.

From Salon ● Nov. 7, 2022

Researchers note that such moralizing can lead to the development of eating disorders like orthorexia, or a fixation on eating “correct” foods.

From Salon ● Nov. 6, 2022

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