An eating disorder that is sometimes very excessive, orthorexia can have serious consequences on the bodies et the mind. It is the obsession with healthy eating that takes control over the way of life and thought.

Complications will depend on the severity orthorexia and the diet to which the person is constrained.

In milder cases, orthorexia would not pose a greater health risk than those incurred by people following a vegetarian diet (diet excluding the consumption of animal flesh) or Vegan (diet excluding in addition to their flesh, foods derived and produced by animals such as eggs and gelatin).

Pushed to the extreme, nervous orthorexia can cause malnutrition and death. The appearance of shortcomings (vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients) is common due to overly strict diet. These deficiencies can affect muscles (including the heart), the os (risk of weakening of the bones or even premature osteoporosis), hormonal functioning and also the brain. Weight loss important can also be observed.

Obsessed with their quest for the perfect diet, an orthorexic person can isolate socially and lose the appetite for life. Food obsessions can lead to isolation, withdrawal into oneself, sometimes interruption of studies or professional activity, and aggravate eating disorders, creating a vicious circle.