Table 3.

Questions for future research

• What additional comorbidities beyond anorexia and obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) are common in orthorexia and complicate treatment?

• How can existing orthorexia scales be modified to improve their psychometric properties? What additional measures should be used in conjunction with orthorexia scales for a comprehensive view of patient pathology?

• What cultural factors might explain the differences in prevalence rates across geographic regions?

• Are there meaningful subtypes of orthorexia, each with its unique set of external correlates?

• Are the cognitive weaknesses associated with orthorexia precursory, developmental risk factors or secondary sequelae?

• Which behavioral endophenotypes explain the greatest percentage of variance in orthorexic symptoms?

• What is the neuropathogenesis of orthorexia, and how can knowledge about the associated genetics, anatomy, chemistry, and physiology be applied to prevention and management practices?

• What is the effectiveness of various psychotherapy techniques for orthorexia? How can assessment be used to optimize treatment?