Perfectionism or Perfectionisms in Orthorexia Nervosa

• Published in: Nutrients 2023-07, Vol.15 (15), p.3289
• Main Authors: Novara, Caterina, Piasentin, Sara, Mattioli, Sofia, Pardini, Susanna, Maggio, Eleonora
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Analysis; Eating behavior; Eating disorders; Employment; Investigations; Likert scale; Mental disorders; Nutrition research; Psychopathology; Psychotropic drugs; Quantitative psychology; Questionnaires; School attendance; Self esteem
• ISSN: 2072-6643; 2072-6643
• DOI: 10.3390/nu15153289

Perfectionism is considered a transdiagnostic construct that characterises eating disorders (EDs) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and that could also depict orthorexia nervosa (ON). The principal aim of this study was to investigate what dimensions of perfectionism mostly represent ON. Moreover, it was evaluated if dieting impacted the presence of orthorexic features and perfectionistic behaviour. The sample consisted of two groups-the "Diet" (n = 93), and the "No Diet" (n = 94) groups-composed of people with high and low orthorexic tendencies, respectively. Participants filled out self-report questionnaires to investigate orthorexic tendencies and different facets of perfectionism. Analyses highlighted that people with high orthorexic tendencies showed higher perfectionistic features and that ON had a significant relationship with different facets of perfectionism. No interactions with diet were found. Therefore, no other differences were highlighted when the group type (Diet/No Diet) was considered. Regardless of diet, different facets of perfectionism characterise ON: perfectionism as a personality trait and perfectionism related to EDs and to obsessive-compulsive features. Our results evidenced that perfectionism could also be considered a useful construct in the conceptualization of orthorexia nervosa.