Health overdone

The risk of orthorexia nervosa among dancers

Abstract

Introduction: The dancers, models and gymnasts have always been an endangered population in terms of body dissatisfaction and eating disorders. However, nowadays a new factor reinforces the expectations regarding the ideal body and the appearance: the spreading of the media in particular social media sites. The main aim of our research was to measure the prevalence of the orthorexic attitudes (that is an addiction to healthy eating) and the related habits of social networking sites and groups among young adult dancers and teenager pupils.
Methodology: The participants of the research (N=80) answered an online, anonymous questionnaire about their socio-economic status, anthropometric data, social media using habits and the instrument also included the ORTO-15 test about the risk of orthorexia nervosa.
Results: The risk of orthorexia nervosa was 80% in our sample, they achieved less than 40 points at the ORTO-15 test (95% confidence intervallum: 35.48–37.25). Every followers of vegetarian and vegan diet achieved less than 40points, meaning there is an orthorexic predisposition, just like in case of the participants who follow diet without any medical prescription. The risk of orthorexia nervosa did not show any differences between the age groups or the different socio-demographic variables.
Conclusion: Our results suggest that currently active young adult dancers and adolescents preparing to become professional dancers are also at increased risk for the development of orthorexia nervosa.