From lifestyle to medical diagnosis: representations and bibliometric trends of orthorexia in scientific literature

Orthorexia is a phenomenon situated at the intersection of social norms regarding “healthy eating” and emerging medicalization processes. This bibliometric study analyzed 557 articles indexed in PubMed (2002-2025), using VOSviewer to identify publication trends and the conceptual structure of the field. The results show a rapid increase in literature since 2014, with a peak in 2021-2022. Keyword networks highlight three interconnected dimensions: a clinical one, focused on the relationship with eating disorders; a psychometric one, focused on validation and assessment tools; and a sociocultural one, related to dietary norms, social media and lifestyles. Children and adolescents appear as vulnerable populations, exposed early to rigid dietary ideals and cultural pressures. The conclusion highlights the hybrid nature of orthorexia, resulting from the interaction of social and medical discourses, as well as the need for interdisciplinary approaches to clarify and manage the phenomenon.