Exploring the role of positive body image in healthy orthorexia and orthorexia nervosa: A gender comparison.

Current scholarship on orthorexia nervosa remains undecided about the role of body image in this novel eating disorder. This study aimed to explore the role of positive body image in differentiating between healthy orthorexia and orthorexia nervosa and assess how this might differ for men and women. A total of 814 participants (67.1% women; age M = 40.30, SD = 14.50) completed the Teruel Orthorexia scale, as well as measures of embodiment, intuitive eating, body appreciation and functionality appreciation. A cluster analysis revealed four distinct profiles characterized by high healthy orthorexia and low orthorexia nervosa; low healthy orthorexia and low orthorexia nervosa; low healthy orthorexia and high orthorexia nervosa; and high healthy orthorexia and high orthorexia nervosa. A MANOVA identified significant differences for positive body image between these four clusters, as well as that there were no significant differences between men and women for healthy orthorexia and orthorexia nervosa, despite men scoring significantly higher than women on all measures of positive body image. Cluster × gender interaction effects were found for intuitive eating, functionality appreciation, body appreciation and experience of embodiment. These findings indicate that the role of positive body image in healthy orthorexia and orthorexia nervosa may differ for men and women, making these relationships worthy of further exploration.

Adherence to Mediterranean Diet and Tendency to Orthorexia Nervosa in Professional Athletes.

Among many lifestyle components that professional athletes have to follow, nutrition is gradually growing to be one of the key factors for achieving and maintaining optimal sport performance. The Mediterranean diet (MD) is recognized as one of the healthiest dietary patterns worldwide; however, data regarding adherence to the MD among professional athletes are still scarce. Moreover, with the imposed need for a healthy diet among professional athletes, orthorexia nervosa (ON) could become a rising issue. This cross-sectional study included 150 professional athletes and 150 matched recreational athletes from Croatia. Four questionnaires were used for the assessment: general information, a test for the diagnosis of ON (ORTO-15), the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) and the Mediterranean Diet Serving Score (MDSS). Significantly more professional athletes were adherent to the MD (p < 0.001) and had a tendency to ON (p < 0.001). Moreover, there was a significant negative correlation between the ORTO-15 score and the total MET min/week score (r = -0.524, p < 0.001) and a significant positive correlation between the MDSS score and the total MET min/week score in the professional athlete group (r = 0.478, p < 0.001). All of these results imply that professional athletes are more concentrated on their dietary patterns than recreational athletes, and that due to this dedication, they possibly have a higher adherence to the MD but also possibly a higher risk for developing ON. However, the association between ON and the MD should be further addressed in the future.

Ortorexia nervosa e imagem corporal em adolescentes e adultos / Orthorexia nervosa and body image in adolescents and adults

OBJETIVO: Identificar a frequência do comportamento de risco para ortorexia nervosa em uma amostra de indivíduos com idades entre 18 e 60 anos e associar com o estado nutricional (classificação do peso corporal) variáveis sociodemográficas e imagem corporal. MÉTODOS: Trata-se de um estudo transversal constituído por indivíduos de ambos os sexos. Utilizou-se o questionário ORTO-15 (com pontos de corte < 40 e < 35) para a identificação de comportamentos de risco para ortorexia e a Escala de Silhuetas para a imagem corporal. O estado nutricional foi avaliado por meio do índice de massa corporal, com peso e altura autorreferidos. Para a análise dos dados, aplicou-se o teste qui-quadrado, com nível de significância de 5%. RESULTADOS: Participaram 430 indivíduos, sendo 56,7% (n = 244) mulheres, com idade para ambos os sexos entre 18,1 e 59,9 anos. Constatou-se maior número de participantes com risco para ortorexia ao utilizar o ponto de corte < 40 (91,4%, n = 393) quando comparado ao ponto de corte < 35 (54,4%, n = 234) (p < 0,0001). O estado nutricional não esteve associado ao comportamento ortoréxico (< 35, p = 0,68; < 40, p = 0,69), bem como à imagem corporal, em ambos os sexos (< 40 e < 35). A idade entre 40 e 60 anos associou-se com a presença de ortorexia (< 35) (p = 0,0005), enquanto não houve associação com as variáveis sexo, escolaridade, estado civil e renda (< 40 e < 35). CONCLUSÃO: Os resultados do presente estudo indicam alta frequência de comportamento de risco para ortorexia. Sugerimos a investigação da frequência nos diversos segmentos populacionais e dos fatores associados ao desenvolvimento de atitudes ortoréxicas.

OBJECTIVE: To identify the frequency of risky behavior for orthorexia nervosa in a sample of individuals aged between 18 and 60 years and associate it with nutritional status (classification of body weight), sociodemographic variables and body image. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study of individuals of both sexes. The ORTO-15 questionnaire (with cutoff points < 40 and < 35) was used to identify risk behaviors for orthorexia and the Silhouette Scale for body image perception. Nutritional status was assessed by body mass index, with self-reported weight and height. For data analysis, the chi-square test was applied, with a significance level of 5%. RESULTS: 430 individuals participated, being 56.7% (n = 244) women, aged between 18.1 and 59.9 years for both sexes. There was a higher number of participants at risk for orthorexia when using the cutoff < 40 (91.4%, n = 393) when compared to the cutoff < 35 (54.4%, n = 234) (p < 0.0001). Nutritional status was not associated with orthorexic behavior (< 35, p = 0.68; < 40, p = 0.69), as well as body image in both sexes (< 40 and < 35). Age between 40 and 60 years was associated with the presence of Orthorexia (< 35) (p = 0.0005), while there was no association with gender, education, marital status and income (< 40 and < 35). CONCLUSION: The results of the present study indicate a high frequency of risk behavior for Orthorexia. We suggest investigating the frequency in the various population segments and the factors associated with the development of orthorexic attitudes.