From selective eating to rigid healthy eating: Childhood picky eating, perfectionism, and orthorexic tendencies in adulthood

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.