Orthorexia nervosa: when clean eating goes too far

Being healthy is fine, but obsessing over it is dangerous

Human hands shackled in cuffs with fruits and vegetables
Pressure from social media has been linked to extreme health consciousness
(Image credit: wildpixel / Getty Images)

Disordered eating focused on extreme healthy eating has been on the rise in recent years, researchers have found. The disorder, known as orthorexia, lacks a formal designation in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, but experts are saying that symptoms are increasingly common, especially as ultra-healthy eating gains ground on social media.

What is orthorexia nervosa?

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Theara Coleman, The Week US

Theara Coleman has worked as a staff writer at The Week since September 2022. She frequently writes about technology, education, literature and general news. She was previously a contributing writer and assistant editor at Honeysuckle Magazine, where she covered racial politics and cannabis industry news.