Too Much Of A Good Thing

Is it bad for you?

- Mala Ashok

Over the years dieting has increased in popularity. Almost everyone, teenagers and young women in particular, is conscious of eating well and in small quantities. Parents of young women in particular are very aware of conditions like anorexia and bulimia.

The above two conditions focus on the amount of food eaten and when it falls below a certain level the body rebels. Now there is a new concern called Orthorexia nervosa. This condition deals with the quality of food eaten.

Essentially, in this case, a concern for proper nutrition turns into a pathological condition. The desire to eat a healthy diet turns into an obsession. Mental health experts call this condition Orthorexia nervosa, which literally means proper appetite carried to the extreme.