"IN 1997, A GENERAL PHYSICIAN NAMED STEVEN BRATMAN COINED THE TERM ORTHOREXIA NERVOSA [21], WHICH HE DEFINES AS, “AN UNHEALTHY OBSESSION WITH EATING HEALTHY FOOD.” IT REMINDS ME OF THE COUNTERPRODUCTIVE DIETARY PERFECTIONISM I’VE SEEN AMONG MANY ATHLETES, TRAINERS, AND COACHES. ONE OF THE FUNDAMENTAL PITFALLS OF DICHOTOMIZING FOODS AS GOOD OR BAD, OR CLEAN OR DIRTY, IS THAT IT CAN FORM A DESTRUCTIVE RELATIONSHIP WITH FOOD. THIS ISN’T JUST AN EMPTY CLAIM; IT’S BEEN SEEN IN RESEARCH. SMITH AND COLLEAGUES FOUND THAT FLEXIBLE DIETING WAS ASSOCIATED WITH THE ABSENCE OF OVEREATING, LOWER BODYWEIGHT, AND THE ABSENCE OF DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY [22]. THEY ALSO FOUND THAT A STRICT ALL-OR-NOTHING APPROACH TO DIETING WAS ASSOCIATED WITH OVEREATING AND INCREASED BODYWEIGHT. SIMILARLY, STEWART AND COLLEAGUES FOUND THAT RIGID DIETING WAS ASSOCIATED WITH SYMPTOMS OF AN EATING DISORDER, MOOD DISTURBANCES, AND ANXIETY [23]. FLEXIBLE DIETING WAS NOT HIGHLY CORRELATED WITH THESE QUALITIES. ALTHOUGH THESE ARE OBSERVATIONAL STUDY DESIGNS WITH SELF-REPORTED DATA, ANYONE WHO SPENDS ENOUGH TIME AMONG FITNESS BUFFS KNOWS THAT THESE FINDINGS ARE NOT OFF THE MARK."
Read full article here: http://wannabebig.com/diet-and-nutrition/the-dirt-on-clean-eating/