OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of orthorexia nervosa in the population of adolescents and young adults, as well as to determine whether orthorexia is a separate clinical entity, a part of eating disorder or another manifestation of obsessivecompulsive disorder. METHODS: The study group consisted of 864 subjects (599 females and 265 males). The mean age of female participants was 20.21±3.27 years, and of male participants 18.93±3.67 years. As a part of the study, we used a proprietary questionnaire to collect patient data, as well as following diagnostic questionnaires: ORTO-15 by Donini et al. (Polish version validated by Janas-Kozik et al.), EAT-26 by Garner and Garfinkel, and MOCI (Maudsley Obsessive Compulsive Inventory) by Hodgson and Rachman. The results were analysed statistically. RESULTS: 27% of subjects were found to be at risk of orthorexia nervosa (score of 35 was considered a cut-off point). These subjects achieved significantly higher scores in the EAT-26. There were no statistically significant differences in the MOCI scores. The highest risk of orthorexia was observed in subjects aged 13-16 years old (junior secondary school) and the lowest in 16-19-year-olds (senior secondary school). Individuals with suspected orthorexia tended to have significantly higher BMI. Specific analysis of environmental features will be exposed in the next issue. CONCLUSIONS: Orthorexia nervosa is not a separate clinical entity. It does not belong to the OCD spectrum, but meets the criteria of eating disorder spectrum.
OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of orthorexia nervosa in the population of adolescents and young adults, as well as to determine whether orthorexia is a separate clinical entity, a part of eating disorder or another manifestation of obsessivecompulsive disorder. METHODS: The study group consisted of 864 subjects (599 females and 265 males). The mean age of female participants was 20.21±3.27 years, and of male participants 18.93±3.67 years. As a part of the study, we used a proprietary questionnaire to collect patient data, as well as following diagnostic questionnaires: ORTO-15 by Donini et al. (Polish version validated by Janas-Kozik et al.), EAT-26 by Garner and Garfinkel, and MOCI (Maudsley Obsessive Compulsive Inventory) by Hodgson and Rachman. The results were analysed statistically. RESULTS: 27% of subjects were found to be at risk of orthorexia nervosa (score of 35 was considered a cut-off point). These subjects achieved significantly higher scores in the EAT-26. There were no statistically significant differences in the MOCI scores. The highest risk of orthorexia was observed in subjects aged 13-16 years old (junior secondary school) and the lowest in 16-19-year-olds (senior secondary school). Individuals with suspected orthorexia tended to have significantly higher BMI. Specific analysis of environmental features will be exposed in the next issue. CONCLUSIONS:Orthorexia nervosa is not a separate clinical entity. It does not belong to the OCD spectrum, but meets the criteria of eating disorder spectrum.
Authors: G Vaccari; A Cutino; F Luisi; N Giambalvo; S Navab Daneshmand; M Pinelli; G Maina; G M Galeazzi; S Kaleci; U Albert; A R Atti; S Ferrari Journal: Eat Weight Disord Date: 2021-02-05 Impact factor: 4.652