Health beliefs, behaviors, and symptoms associated with orthorexia nervosa

Use of dietary supplements among nursing students in Turkey in the last 12 months and its relation with orthorexia nervosa

“…Dietary supplements are used to maintain good health, according to about a quarter of medical students in Zezelj et al, 13 to strengthen the immune system, according to about 63% of nutrition and dietetics students in Pillay et al, 6 and to be healthy, according to 68.8% of female students in Kara et al 8 In the study conducted by Oberle et al, 14 the rates of using dietary supplements for overall health in the normal eating, healthy eating and ON groups were reported as 42.2%, 58.0%, and 44.7% respectively. Similarly, in the present study, health protection and strengthening of the immune system took the top two reasons that the participants used dietary supplements.…”

“…Dietary supplements are used to maintain good health, according to about a quarter of medical students in Zezelj et al, 13 to strengthen the immune system, according to about 63% of nutrition and dietetics students in Pillay et al, 6 and to be healthy, according to 68.8% of female students in Kara et al 8 In the study conducted by Oberle et al, 14…”

“…[7][8][9][10][11][12][13] In the literature, it is also reported that the use of dietary supplements is high in people with the symptoms of orthorexia nervosa (ON), followed by people with healthy eating and normal eating habits, respectively, that the rate of dietary supplement use for overall health is higher in people with healthy eating habits and ON symptoms than in people with normal eating habits and that the rate of dietary supplement use to increase energy, skin, hair, or nail health, digestive or urinary health, to improve mood, bone, joint, or muscle health and to enhance focus/concentration is higher in people with ON symptoms than in people with normal or healthy eating habits. 14 Healthy orthorexia is defined as "healthy interest in diet, healthy behavior with regard to diet, and eating healthily as part of one's identity." However, if the interest in healthy nutrition and diet becomes a pathological condition, this is called ON.…”

“…25 Indeed, in a limited number of studies in recent years, it has been reported that the rate of dietary supplement use is high in those with ON symptoms. 14,19,22,26 Turkish literature on the relation between ON and the use of dietary supplements is scarce. Our hypothesis is that the use of dietary supplements in nursing students is related to ON.…”

“…Due to these obsessive thoughts, individuals with ON avoid many foods (eg, foods of animal origin) or focus on choosing certain foods they consider healthy or on using dietary supplements 25 . Indeed, in a limited number of studies in recent years, it has been reported that the rate of dietary supplement use is high in those with ON symptoms 14,19,22,26 …”