THE CONVERSATION: What is ‘clean eating’ and how can it affect wellbeing? (opens original article in a new tab)

Clean eating, a focus on 'pure' foods, can promote health but may become harmful if it leads to restrictive behaviors, anxiety, or disordered eating patterns.

• Clean eating refers to restrictive eating patterns focused on 'proper nutrition' and avoiding 'unhealthy' foods.
• It can become harmful if it leads to obsessive behaviors, anxiety, or social withdrawal, potentially contributing to disordered eating.
• Orthorexia nervosa, an excessive focus on healthy eating, is linked to clean eating but is not formally recognized as an eating disorder.