An innocent attempt to consume healthy foods and drinks is leading to eating disorders in some people.
Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ Senior Psychologist Kim Hurst warned orthorexia nervosa - a devotion to solely eating healthy and clean produce – was on the rise.
Ms Hurst told the Gold Coast Bulletin she was worried the city was becoming a hot spot for the illness due to image-obsessed lifestyles.
“It generally starts as an innocent attempt at eating more healthily and adopting clean-eating and unprocessed foods, while focusing on the quality of the food rather than the quantity,” she said.
“They become quite socially isolated because just the idea of going to a restaurant or caf¨¦ is actually quite anxiety-provoking and they become fearful.”
Eating disorders affect about 500,000 Australians and one in three Australian adults and one in four Australian children are overweight and obese.
Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ’s Child and Youth Mental Health Service runs an Eating Disorder Program.
For information, support, education, advice on mental health phone MH CALL - 1300 64 2255.
For the full news story about orthorexia visit The Gold Coast Bulletin website.