A number of individuals with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) exhibit symptoms pertaining to diet and eating habits. According to the University of Virginia Health System, roughly 20 to 40 percent of those with OCD also develop an eating disorder. If you or a loved one demonstrates compulsions regarding food or eating, discuss your concerns with a trusted professional.
Ritualized Behaviors
Individuals with OCD often demonstrate a perceived need for specific rituals at the dinner table. According to psychologist Steven D. Tsao, such behaviors may include an intense emotional desire to eat at specific times, persistent adherence to specific portion sizes, or even rituals surrounding the way certain foods are ingested. For example, a child with OCD may require lunch at 12 p.m. precisely every day or refuse to consume food that comes into physical contact with other food portions on a plate. Tsao suggests that while there is significant overlap between eating disorders and OCD, eating disorders manifest themselves more by means of weight control, calorie counting and obsession with thinness than other factors related to food.
Obsession With Cleanliness of Food
Many individuals with OCD find themselves preoccupied with germs, dirt and other bacteria. In the case of food, this can lead to serious negative consequences. A person may fear consumption of a particular nutritious food, such as a vegetable, because it was grown in dirt. If such behavior carries on, malnutrition can occur. In reaction to this form of obsession, a person might scrub food repeatedly until they are convinced the food is not contaminated. In severe cases, the person may never feel the food attains an acceptable level of cleanliness. People who experience fear of unclean or tainted food may have difficulty eating in social settings, since they are not aware or in control of how the food was cleaned or handled. For this reason, such individuals may opt to consume only foods they've prepared themselves or those that they've observed being prepared.
Fear of Allergic Reactions
Fear or paranoia that one will suffer an allergic reaction without rational or medical evidence to support such an allergy is another common food-related symptom of OCD. According to Tsao, individuals with OCD may also fear they will experience allergic reactions to various chemicals used in food storage and preparation methods. In order for such symptoms to be indicative of OCD, they must detract from one's usual life and have a significant, negative impact on the person's ability to function. For proper diagnosis of OCD, guidance from a qualified professional is crucial.
