Isabelle Desrosiers’ research project focused on an often-overlooked eating disorder known as orthorexia nervosa.
Isabelle Desrosiers’ research examines a condition where the desire to eat “pure” becomes a harmful obsession.
An unhealthy obsession with healthy eating was the focus of a research project from recent VIU graduate Isabelle Desrosiers.
“It’s time we recognize that extreme health habits can be just as harmful as unhealthy ones,” said Desrosiers, who graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (Honours), Major in Psychology this past spring.
Desrosiers’ research project focused on an often-overlooked eating disorder known as orthorexia nervosa, where a person will obsess over the concept of only eating “pure” or “healthy” foods. Unlike other eating disorders, weight loss is not always the main focus. Instead, people may suffer from psychological conditions and other health problems caused by their overly strict eating rules.
While it’s a serious issue that can affect how people live, Desrosiers said orthorexia isn’t officially recognized as an eating disorder yet. It is not yet included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5-TR) – a guidebook widely used by doctors and therapists to diagnose a variety of mental health conditions. Without this classification, it’s harder for doctors and therapists to recognize, diagnose, and treat it.
Desrosiers said people with orthorexia might not talk about body image or weight. Instead, they focus on food quality and health. This can make the disorder harder to notice, especially since society often encourages these types of eating habits.
The goal of her research is to raise awareness and push for better understanding and support for those suffering from it, particularly in Canada where little research has been done on it. While most research on the topic has looked at small focus groups, Desrosiers’ study is one of the first to look at how orthorexic behaviours appear in the general Canadian population.
Her interest in this topic was sparked by growing up in a family of "elite athletes" and witnessing the difference between eating healthy and having strict, unhealthy eating habits.
“I noticed how easily healthy habits could become overly strict,” she said. “That sparked my interest in the connection between food, body image and mental health.”
Her study ran from November 2024 to March 2025 and was done through an online survey, allowing anyone in Canada to take part, with a total of 501 participants. The survey included questionnaires that measured eating habits, social media use, health anxiety and personality traits like conformity and obsessive thinking.
Now that the final report on her research is complete, Desrosiers said she is currently working on disseminating the study’s findings and hopes to share her results at the Canadian Psychological Association Conference in Montreal next year.
“This research is important because it helps us understand how extreme health behaviours can become harmful,” Desrosiers said. “It’s not about saying healthy eating is bad – but about knowing when it’s gone too far.”
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Media Contact:
Eric Zimmer, Communications Officer, Vancouver Island University
P: 250.618.7296 | E: Eric.Zimmer@viu.ca |W: news.viu.ca
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