Omer Horovitz

Orthorexia nervosa (ON) is increasingly understood as a morally saturated health orientation in which dietary restraint is organised through ideals of purity, discipline, and self-worth. Building on social theory that treats health as a cultural project and a site of identity governance, this study theorises ON as moral identity work enacted and contested in digital environments. Using a large-scale qualitative design integrating thematic corpus mapping and Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), 1,100 texts from Reddit, YouTube, and blogs (2020–2025) were analysed; an intensified CDA subset (n=80) traced how key meanings were rhetorically accomplished. Across platforms, moralised purity/contamination vocabularies and identity-relevant self-positioning were common but genre-sensitive. In the CDA subset, a recurring configuration framed restrictive eating as (a) morally evaluative, (b) identity-defining and non-negotiable, and (c) defended via boundary work and resistance to pathologisation; recovery narratives more often disrupted these binaries and decoupled selfhood from dietary purity. Extending existing accounts that document morality narratives around ON, the analysis specifies the discursive mechanisms and genre- and platform-sensitive configurations through which moralisation becomes identity-defensive and resistant to critique. These findings clarify the discursive mechanisms through which ON becomes intelligible and defensible within digital wellness culture, with implications for prevention and care focused on moralised self-concept and digitally reinforced rigidity.

Background: Orthorexic tendencies involve rigid, rule-governed “healthy eating” and are associated with perfectionism, yet their developmental correlates are less understood. Aim: This study examined whether retrospectively reported childhood picky eating is associated with orthorexic tendencies in adulthood, whether maladaptive perfectionism dimensions mediate these associations, and whether associations vary by gender. Methods: Adults (N = 209) completed validated self-report measures of childhood picky eating, orthorexic tendencies (Eating Habits Questionnaire), and multidimensional perfectionism. Correlations, bootstrapped mediation models (2000 resamples), and gender-moderation analyses were conducted, controlling for age and gender. Results: Childhood picky eating was modestly associated with orthorexic tendencies (r = .18, p = .009). Indirect effects were statistically significant via doubts about actions (β = .06, 95% CI [.02, .10]) and parental expectations/criticism (β = .05, 95% CI [.01, .10]). The association was significant among men but not women. Conclusion: Retrospectively reported childhood picky eating may function as a developmental correlate, rather than a deterministic risk factor, for orthorexic tendencies.

Background/Objectives: Early manifestations of body dissatisfaction and subclinical disordered eating are increasingly recognized as important correlates of later disordered eating, underscoring the need for research in preadolescent populations. This study examined the prevalence of disordered eating risk and tested whether body-figure discrepancy and thinness-related attribution patterns were associated with disordered-eating symptomatology beyond gender and BMI among children aged 10–12 years. Methods: A total of 227 children completed the Children’s Eating Attitudes Test-26 (ChEAT-26), body-figure silhouette measures, and assessments of thinness-related social-emotional, negative, and competence attributions. Results: Overall, 16.3% of participants scored at or above the clinical cutoff for elevated eating-pathology risk, with no significant gender differences. Hierarchical regression analyses showed that the discrepancy between perceived and ideal body figure was significantly associated with disordered eating severity, although the proportion of explained variance was modest. Logistic regression further indicated that each unit increase in body-figure discrepancy was associated with a 37% increase in the likelihood of exceeding the clinical risk threshold. In contrast, thinness-related attribution indices were intercorrelated but were not significantly associated with disordered eating, nor were their effects moderated by gender. Conclusions: These findings indicate that body-image discrepancy is associated with disordered eating in late childhood, at a stage when marked gender differences are not yet evident. Although causal inferences cannot be drawn, the presence of clinically elevated symptom levels and the observed associations highlight the potential importance of early attention to body dissatisfaction in preventive efforts.

This study explored how intuitive eating, caregiver food messages, and a digital cue-based eating intervention relate to body appreciation. Intuitive eating, responding to internal hunger and fullness cues rather than external pressures, was linked to healthier eating patterns and greater body appreciation. Participants ( N = 296) completed baseline measures of intuitive eating, body appreciation, and caregiver food messages. A randomized subset ( n = 94) received either four weekly 10–12-minutes psychoeducational videos on intuitive eating or comparable wellness content, with follow-ups at 1 and 3 months. Higher intuitive eating and supportive caregiver messages predicted greater body appreciation, while restrictive messages were unrelated. The digital intervention significantly enhanced body appreciation and increased reliance on internal cues, though overall intuitive eating scores did not change. These findings emphasize the long-term influence of early caregiver messages and demonstrate the promise of brief, scalable digital interventions for promoting positive body image.

Recent research highlights the central role of emotion in psychopathology, with Panksepp's Affective Neuroscience Theory identifying seven primary emotional systems critical for mammalian survival. Although this framework has advanced understanding of disorders such as depression and addiction, its application to eating pathology remains limited. The present study integrates affective neuroscience with behavioural analysis, conceptualizing emotions not merely as neural activations but as classes of behaviour shaped by phylogenetic selection and ontogenetic contingencies. Eating disorders, characterized by maladaptive eating patterns that impair physical and psychological functioning, are examined here as emotional-behavioural phenomena maintained by reinforcement processes. This cross-sectional, correlational study investigated associations between emotional systems and disordered eating. Weak but statistically significant correlations were found between negative emotional systems (FEAR, PANIC/GRIEF, RAGE) and disordered eating (r ≈ .15-.25, 95% CI [.07, .35]), suggesting that difficulties in emotion regulation may act as antecedents and reinforcers of maladaptive coping behaviours. Positive emotional systems (PLAY, CARE, SEEKING) showed no significant relationships, indicating heterogeneous reward contingencies among individuals with eating pathology. Exploratory gender-stratified analyses revealed small differences in emotional correlates but no moderation effects, underscoring similar functional mechanisms across sexes. Findings are interpreted within a functional-analytic framework, proposing that disordered eating is maintained by negative reinforcement, reducing aversive private events such as shame, fear, or panic. Clinically, results highlight the need for integrated, context-sensitive interventions that target emotion regulation and avoidance mechanisms across genders.

The subjective childbirth experience is crucial for a woman's well-being. This study examines the relationship between 'birthing consciousness' - a flow-like state of hyperfocus, self-efficacy, and calm - and birth outcomes, including subjective experience, labour duration, and postpartum mental health. Data were collected prospectively from a cohort of birthing women (January-September 2023) at Ziv Medical Center, Israel. Women planning a vaginal birth (N = 138) completed surveys at three time points: Antenatal: During antenatal care at 34-41 weeks' gestation; Postpartum: 72 hours postpartum, assessing flow state using the Flow State Scale (FSS); Postpartum: 8 weeks postpartum, assessing mental health using the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21). Pregnancy and birth details, including demographic variables and birth stage durations, were obtained from electronic medical records. Higher flow was associated with shorter labour ;(Stage 2: r = -0.316, p = .002, n = 98; Stage 3: r = -0.302, p = .002, n = 98) and lower postpartum stress ;(r = -0.451, p < .001, n = 93). Women reporting a positive birth experience had higher flow than those reporting a negative experience (Welch's t = 4.00, p < .001; Cohen's d = 1.25; n = 83). In logistic regression, higher flow increased the odds of a positive birth experience (OR = 1.02 per point, 95% CI [1.00-1.05], p = .043). Experiencing flow can enhance the childbirth experience and shorten birth's critical stages. These findings highlight the significance of attending to a woman's mental state during labour to optimise her health outcomes.

Orthorexia nervosa (ON) – a pathological obsession with healthy eating – has emerged as a cultural pathology intricately woven into neoliberal ideologies and biopolitical regimes. This paper critically analyses ON through the lens of power, foregrounding Foucault’s concept of biopower and contemporary theories of moral governance, digital surveillance and gendered health expectations. It argues that the rise of ON is not merely a psychological phenomenon but a reflection of broader socio-political forces that moralise food, discipline bodies and construct health as an individualised, virtuous identity. Clean eating becomes a moral imperative; health becomes a site of self-surveillance; and digital wellness culture functions as a disciplinary apparatus. Drawing on interdisciplinary frameworks, it offers a socio-cognitive model of ON shaped by psychological vulnerability, algorithmically curated content and neoliberal demands for bodily optimisation. This work calls for a re-theorisation of ON that situates it within contemporary ideological terrain. It offers a novel socio-cognitive model that links individual psychopathology with biopolitical power, digital culture and gendered health expectations. It provides critical insights into mental health practice, public health policy and feminist thought critique.

This paper explores the intricate relationship between Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) and psychopathology, with a particular focus on anxiety and depression. This narrative review synthesizes recent findings on how dietary factors and nutritional psychology influence the gut-brain axis in patients with inflammatory bowel disease. The bidirectional gut-brain axis, chronic inflammation, and psychological stress are all key contributors to the mental health burden in IBD patients. The paper reviews the physiological mechanisms linking IBD and psychiatric symptoms, particularly how inflammation and gut microbiota composition may influence mood disorders. It addresses the variability in psychiatric comorbidities across IBD subtypes (Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis) and highlights the challenges in standardized diagnosis and treatment. Emerging research on microbiome-based therapies, nutritional interventions, and personalized care approaches offers promising solutions for improving gastrointestinal and mental health outcomes. Integrating multidisciplinary care, involving gastroenterologists, psychiatrists, and dietitians, alongside advances in precision medicine, holds potential for developing more effective, individualized treatment strategies. However, challenges remain regarding variability in patient responses, methodological inconsistencies, and the need for standardized clinical protocols. The paper concludes by calling for further research to clarify these relationships and optimize treatment for IBD patients struggling with both physical and psychological health challenges.