A holistic exploration of Orthorexia Nervosa
Abstract
This thesis seeks to holistically explore orthorexia nervosa (ON), an extreme
preoccupation with consuming healthy food (Bratman, 1997). The medicalized culture in which
we live places immense pressure on individuals to be healthy, which, when combined with
specific individual vulnerabilities, can lead to obsessive manipulation of one’s food intake. By
examining both the contributing culture and individual factors, this thesis will build a
foundational understanding of ON and provide key considerations for therapists and counsellors
to refer to while working with struggling individuals. Given the seemingly close relationship
between ON and anorexia nervosa (AN), this thesis also argues that Acceptance and
Commitment Therapy (ACT), a therapeutic framework found to be effective in the treatment of
AN (Baer, Fischer, & Huss, 2005; Heffner, Sperry, Eifert, & Detweiler, 2002), may be
successfully used as therapeutic framework for ON.