The causes of orthorexia nervosa are not known and are likely complex in nature. Predisposing factors might include genetics, a family or personal history of dieting or disordered/restrictive eating, personality traits (e.g., perfectionism, impulsivity, health anxiety, low self-esteem), mental disorders (e.g., OCD), problematic social media use, or a history of being bullied.[1][2][3][4][5]
Ultimately, more research specific to orthorexia nervosa is needed to better understand its causes.
References
- ^Zagaria A, Vacca M, Cerolini S, Ballesio A, Lombardo CAssociations between orthorexia, disordered eating, and obsessive-compulsive symptoms: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Int J Eat Disord.(2022-Mar)
- ^Chace S, Kluck ASValidation of the Teruel Orthorexia Scale and relationship to health anxiety in a U.S. sample.Eat Weight Disord.(2022-May)
- ^Lie SØ, Rø Ø, Bang LIs bullying and teasing associated with eating disorders? A systematic review and meta-analysis.Int J Eat Disord.(2019-May)
- ^Francisco-Javier Hinojo-Lucena, Inmaculada Aznar-Díaz, María-Pilar Cáceres-Reche, Juan-Manuel Trujillo-Torres, José-María Romero-RodríguezProblematic Internet Use as a Predictor of Eating Disorders in Students: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis StudyNutrients.(2019 Sep 9)
- ^Eating Disorders: MedlinePlus; Bethesda, MD: National Library of Medicine US, cited June 27, 2023(June 16, 2021)