[Orthorexia nervosa and it's background factors].

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Clinical Psychology
• Public Health

Background:

• Orthorexia nervosa (ON), first described in 1997, lacks a clear diagnostic classification.
• Growing clinical and research data illuminate the epidemiology and characteristics of ON.
• Prevalence rates indicate ON affects 6.9% of the general population and 35-57.6% of healthcare professionals.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review current understanding of orthorexia nervosa.
• To identify epidemiological data and risk factors associated with ON.
• To highlight the need for standardized research methodologies.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of clinical experiences and research data on orthorexia nervosa.
• Analysis of prevalence rates in the general population and specific professional groups.
• Identification of demographic and socioeconomic factors associated with ON.

Main Results:

• Orthorexia nervosa (ON) has a general population prevalence of 6.9%.
• Healthcare professionals exhibit a significantly higher prevalence of ON (35-57.6%).
• Factors such as education, profession, socioeconomic status, and societal ideal internalization are linked to ON development, while sex, age, and BMI appear less significant.

Conclusions:

• Standardized diagnostic criteria and robust research are essential for comparable ON data.
• Further studies with larger, representative samples and validated instruments are required.
• Understanding ON's epidemiology and risk factors is crucial for targeted interventions.