What is fueling the unhealthy obsession with health?
Americans spend about $40 billion on diet programs, books etc each year. We are exposed to over 20,000 nutrition messages each year if watching 2 hours of TV a day. Legislation banning certain substances, like trans fats and salt, have been passed. Diet stories are pervasive in the media. Discussions often surround what is being eaten, how food is prepared and diet quality abound, often fueling competitions on who is eating the most healthful diet. This overwhelming exposure to mixed and often intense dietary messages can cause some to take healthy eating habits too far, resulting in orthorexic behaviors.
