Tragantzopoulou Panagiota, Giannouli Vaitsa
School of Social Sciences, University of Westminster, 115 New Cavendish Street, London W1W 6UW, UK.
School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece.
Healthcare (Basel). 2024 Apr 30;12(9):925. doi: 10.3390/healthcare12090925.
Orthorexia nervosa represents a controversial phenomenon in the realm of eating practices, characterized by an obsessive fixation on consuming only foods deemed 'healthy', and a preoccupation with food purity. While the existing literature has identified the presence of stressful behaviors among individuals with orthorexia, the precise factors and circumstances eliciting these stress-inducing emotions remain the subject of ongoing inquiry. This study aims to explore the triggers and situations that precipitate stressful beliefs and emotions among individuals who self-identify as preoccupied with healthy eating, as well as the coping mechanisms developed to manage these feelings. Through conducting one-to-one interviews with thirteen individuals, thematic analysis was employed to elucidate the nuances of their experiences. Participants articulated concerns regarding the contamination of foods available in supermarkets and restaurants, thereby prompting the meticulous selection of food sources and aversion to dining out. The prospect of trying new foods and engaging in social gatherings involving food emerged as anxiety-inducing scenarios, prompting individuals to adhere to monotonous dietary patterns and impose self-isolation. Additionally, medical appointments were perceived as stressful, driven by health concerns underpinning the adoption of stringent dietary practices. These findings underscore the spectrum of fears and coping mechanisms exhibited by individuals with orthorexia nervosa, which hold profound implications for their overall well-being.
正食癖是饮食行为领域中一个颇具争议的现象，其特征是痴迷于只食用被认为“健康”的食物，并执着于食物的纯净度。虽然现有文献已经确定了正食癖患者中存在压力行为，但引发这些压力情绪的确切因素和情况仍是持续研究的主题。本研究旨在探索那些自认为痴迷于健康饮食的个体中，引发压力信念和情绪的触发因素和情境，以及为应对这些情绪而形成的应对机制。通过对13名个体进行一对一访谈，采用主题分析法来阐明他们经历的细微差别。参与者表达了对超市和餐馆中食物受污染的担忧，从而促使他们精心挑选食物来源并厌恶外出就餐。尝试新食物以及参加涉及食物的社交聚会的前景成为引发焦虑的情境，促使个体坚持单调的饮食习惯并自我隔离。此外，医疗预约也被视为有压力，这是由支持采取严格饮食习惯的健康担忧所驱动的。这些发现强调了神经性正食癖个体所表现出的恐惧范围和应对机制，这对他们的整体幸福感具有深远影响。
